IGT 02/07 Blackhawks @ Flames

[Capt. Serious]

BLACKHAWKS (27-21-4) at FLAMES (26-21-7)

TV: CSN-CH (HD), SNET-W (HD)

Last 10: Chicago 6-3-1; Calgary 7-1-2

Season series: Third of four meetings this season, with the home team prevailing in each of the first two. Jarome Iginla recorded the hat trick in leading Calgary to a 7-2 win on Nov. 19, while Dave Bolland scored a pair of power-play goals on Dec. 5 as Chicago claimed a 4-2 victory.

Big story: It would have been hard to fathom only a couple weeks ago, but the Flames have passed the defending Stanley Cup champions in the standings, coming into play Monday one point ahead of the Blackhawks. Both teams are chasing the top eight in the Western Conference, however, with Calgary one point behind Los Angeles for the last playoff spot and Chicago two back.

Team Scope:

Blackhawks: While Chicago has been winning its fair share of games lately, so have most of the teams the Blackhawks are battling with for a postseason berth. They came up just a bit short against the West-leading Canucks on Friday, firing 45 shots on Roberto Luongo and connecting three times, but after Bolland gave them a one-goal lead 7:47 into the third period the home team answered on tallies by the Sedin twins -- first Henrik, then Daniel with four minutes to play -- and handed the Hawks a 4-3 setback.

"If we continue to play like this, we'll be all right in the long run, but it still stings right now," said Marty Turco, who made 28 saves in his second straight start.

Flames: Although Calgary failed in its bid for a seventh straight win on Saturday, the Flames still rallied from a third-period deficit to earn a point in what became a 4-3 shootout loss to the visiting Kings. Alex Tanguay scored his second goal of the game on a power play midway through the third, then it took seven rounds in the penalty-shot tiebreaker before Justin Williams got a shot past Miikka Kiprusoff to give Los Angeles the extra point and its first win at the Scotiabank Saddledome since December 2005.

"We were down three times in the game and we came back, we hit multiple posts in the shootout, we were right there," said Brendan Morrison, who assisted on all three Calgary goals. "We can't hang our heads, it was a pretty good effort overall."

Who's hot: Jonathan Toews has 2 goals and 5 assists during a three-game points streak for the Blackhawks. Bolland has goals in consecutive games. ... Morrison has 4 goals and 6 assists during a seven-game points streak for the Flames. Tanguay has 2 goals and 3 assists during a three-game points streak.

Injury report: Chicago forward Ryan Johnson is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. ... Calgary forward Niklas Hagman is day-to-day with a lower body injury, while defenseman Steve Staios (upper body) and forwards Daymond Langkow (neck) and Raitis Ivanans (concussion) are on injured reserve.

Stat pack: Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell played in his 600th NHL game against the Canucks. ... Flames defenseman Robyn Regehr opened the scoring against the Kings with his first goal in 65 games. Regehr had scored only twice in his previous 224 games.

Puck drop: Saturday's game began a stretch in which Calgary plays nine of 11 games on home ice to end the month of February -- that includes the 2011 Tim Hortons Heritage Classic against Montreal on Feb. 20, to be played at McMahon Stadium.

Preview

Crawf back in net.

 

[DewsSox79]

thank god crawford is back in

 

[Jntg4]

Hawks will win if the reffing is any better than last game.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

Hot streak or no... Calgary sucks.

Toews 2 goals 5 helpers in 3 games. Fantastic.

 

[Capt. Serious]

Hawks will win if the reffing is any better than last game.

this again?

 

[Jntg4]

this again?

What? You saying we still would have lost when we lost by one when they got a goal that wasn't one and we didn't get one that was one, coupled with other bad calls?

Just saying...

 

[Capt. Serious]

I don't blame the zebras for us losing.

Point the finger at a piss poor PK & PP & Turdco.

 

[Jntg4]

I don't blame the zebras for us losing.

Point the finger at a piss poor PK & PP & Turdco.

Still would have won with proper reffing. Just saying.

 

[Captain Iago]

Sounds like it was a good thing I missed the Nuck game. This is a big game in Calgary.

 

[Capt. Serious]

And oh yeah, another blown lead in the 3rd period.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

Sounds like it was a good thing I missed the Nuck game. This is a big game in Calgary.

It was entertaining, I'll say that much.

Disappointing also.

 

[derosabomb]

joecawks is a dumbass.


GO HAWKS!!

 

[AddisonStation]

It was entertaining, I'll say that much.

Disappointing also.

If I didn't care about the result it would have been one of the better games of the season entertainment value wise.

 

[tbo41fan]

Big couple games coming up here...

Hawks need these 2 points

 

[Captain Iago]

Big couple games coming up here...

Hawks need these 2 points

And to keep Calgary from getting shit - gotta get it in regulation.

 

[Captain Iago]

Leddy is scratched tonight, alrighty then.

Edit: Or not...he's back in.

 

[Captain Iago]

Nice sorta backwards hipcheck, Seabrook on Iggy.

 

[Captain Iago]

Wow, some real shitty defense there. Flamers up.

 

[nickofypres]

Any stream available?

 

[Captain Iago]

Lots. Yahoo is streaming it, also.