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Blackhawks @ Avalanche, Numerology

The Blackhawks start their annual circus trip with their first look at the suddenly slumping Avalanche.

Doug Pensinger

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Chicago Blackhawks (32 pts, 14-3-4) @ Colorado Avalanche (28 pts, 14-5-0)

8pm CDT, Pepsi Center - Denver, CO

TV : CSN Chicago

Radio : 720 AM WGN

Blackhawks last game : 5-1 W vs Sharks

Avs last game : 1-4 L vs Panthers

Enemy Territory : Mile High Hockey

Season Series/Schedule

DATE SCORE W. GOAL
Mar 12 '14
Mar 04 '14
Jan 14 '14
Dec 27 '13
Nov 19 '13

.500 : The Avalanche's win percentage in November after going 10-1-0 in October.

2.16 : The goals allowed per game by the Avalanche, the fifth best in the NHL.

5 : The number of career games P.A. Parenteau played with the Blackhawks.

7 : The number of wins the Avalanche have when being out shot. The Blackhawks have only been out shot four times this year.

8 : The number of games the Avalanche have played versus the Western Conference this year, which might have something to do with their hot start because the East is terrible.

14-8-2 : The Blackhawks' "circus trip" record under Joel Quenneville.

14.7 : The average penalty minutes per game by the Avalanche, the fourth most in the NHL.

15 : The number of points (6 G, 9 A) scored by Gabriel Landeskog in his last 15 games.

21.6 : The Blackhawks power play success rate on the road, the second best in the NHL.

24 : The combined win total of the Blackhawks and Avalanche when they score first.

Probable Blackhawks Lineup

Forwards

Patrick Sharp - Jonathan Toews -Kris Versteeg
Brandon Saad - Brandon Pirri - Patrick Kane
Bryan Bickell - Andrew Shaw - Sheldon Brookbank
Brandon Bollig - Marcus Kruger - Ben Smith

Defensive Pairings

Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook
Johnny Oduya - Niklas Hjalmarsson
Nick Leddy - Michal Rozsival

Goaltender

Corey Crawford (13-3-3, 2.42 GAA, .910 save %, 0 SO)

Injuries

Michael Kostka (broken foot) out, Michal Handzus (upper body), Nikolai Khabibulin (lower body) out, Marian Hossa (lower body) out

Leading Scorers

PLAYER GP G A P +/- PIM PP GW
P. Kane 21 11 10 21 -3 8 4 3
P. Sharp 21 7 13 20 +10 6 1 1
J. Toews 21 10 9 19 +6 14 2 0
M. Hossa 19 9 6 15 +12 6 1 0
D. Keith 21 1 14 15 +5 2 1 1

Probable Avalanche Lineup

Fowards

Gabriel Landeskog - Nathan MacKinnon - Ryan O'Reilly
Jamie McGinn - Paul Stastny - P.A. Parenteau
Cody McLeod - John Mitchell - Max Talbot
Patrick Bordeleau - Marc Andre Cliche - Brad Malone

Defensive Pairings

Jan Hejda - Erik Johnson
Andre Benoit - Nate Guenin
Tyson Barrie - Nick Holden

Goaltender

Semyon Varlamov (9-5-0, 2.28 GAA, .927 save %, 0 SO)

Injuries

Matt Duchene (obliques) out, Alex Tanguay (knee) out, Ryan Wilson (knee) out

Leading Scorers

PLAYER GP G A P +/- PIM PP GW
M. Duchene 19 12 8 20 +5 7 3 3
P. Stastny 19 7 8 15 +10 10 2 2
G. Landeskog 18 6 9 15 +6 19 1 1
R. O'Reilly 19 8 6 14 +2 0 1 1
P. Parenteau 19 6 7 13 +0 10 0 1

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