Tonight at 10:00 p.m. ET, the Chicago Blackhawks (34-10-14, 82 points) and Anaheim Ducks (40-13-5, 85 points) hit the ice at the Honda Center in Anaheim for the third and final meeting against each other this season. The game can be live streamed here. Chicago fans can hear all of the bone-crunching action on 720 WGN while Anaheim fans can do the same on KLAA 830.
Chicago has won five out of its last seven games and is second in the Western Conference behind Anaheim, which was once 20-0-2 on home ice but lost three out of four to start their homestand. The teams have traded victories this season, with the Ducks earning a 3-2 shootout win on Dec. 6 and the Blackhawks notching a 4-2 triumph on Jan. 17 both in Chicago. Just three points separate these teams coming into tonight.
With the Ducks slumping for the first time this season, coach Bruce Boudreau emphasized the need for his team to remember to have fun during games.
"Sometimes when things are going bad and things aren't going right, players forget it's a game to have fun," Boudreau said via NHL.com. "We played a little bit of two-puck to warm up and told them that the sun still rose today and we're still first place. Let's not jump off a cliff because we haven't played well the past week."
The Blackhawks have emphasized resting Marian Hossa this season, having him frequently sit out morning skates and practices in order to keep him healthy in the long-run, and Hossa responded with nine goals and three assists in January.
"It is huge when you can have some days extra off and just maybe not going out on the ice and working on something different here in the dressing room or in the gym," Hossa (23-25-48) told NHL.com. "As long as you feel good on the ice, that's the important thing."
The Blackhawks have been led by Patrick Kane, who has 63 points off of 27 goals and 36 assists while Patrick Sharp has 28 tallies and 29 helpers for 57 points and Jonathan Toews has lit the lamp 18 times and added 36 assists for 54 points.
Ryan Getzlaf has points in 12 of his last 14 games and paces the Ducks with 64 points off of 27 goals and 37 assists while Corey Perry has 29 markers and 30 helpers for 59 points and Nick Bonino has found the twine 16 times and added 24 assists for 40 points, but is sidelined with an upper-body injury.
Jonas Hiller is likely to man the crease for Anaheim and is 24-8-4 with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage while Corey Crawford is the likely netminder for Chicago tonight and is 21-8-10 with a 2.42 GAA and a .914 save percentage.
Two of the top teams in the NHL faceoff when the lights come up tonight at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
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