Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa will play and Corey Crawford will start when the Chicago Blackhawks host the Colorado Avalanche in a Central Division matchup at the United Center on Tuesday night.
Toews took a maintenance day Tuesday, missing practice the day after Hossa also took the morning skate off. Tuesday will be Crawford’s fifth consecutive start since returning from an injury in December.
The Blackhawks are 2-0 so far in the season series against Colorado. Patrick Kane registered two goals and an assist in a 5-2 road victory in the last meeting on Dec. 27 at the Pepsi Center. Kane also had three assists in the Blackhawks first victory.
A season ago, the Avalanche went 3-1-1 against the Blackhawks, and have taken two straight and four of the past six meetings at the Madhouse on Madison.
Chicago is tied with the Nashville Predators for the division lead with 54 points after a 5-4 overtime victory against the Dallas Stars on Sunday night. Patrick Sharp scored the winning goal in the extra frame to snap the Stars’ winning streak at four. The Blackhawks have won three of their last four.
Teuvo Teravainen logged just under 11 minutes of ice time in his season debut. He started at center on the fourth line, but did move around. During Monday’s and Tuesday’s morning practice he skated on the third line with Bickell and Andrew Shaw. Marcus Kruger centered the fourth line alongside Joakim Nordstrom and Ben Smith.
Corey Crawford made 30 saves, while Brad Richards and Sharp each posted a goal and an assist. Kane, Bryan Bickell and Brandon Saad also scored.
Crawford is 4-6-2 with a 3.10 goals-against average in his career against Colorado.
Opponent Breakdown: Colorado Avalanche
Colorado recently fell 4-3 to the Blue Jackets on Sunday in Denver. Columbus’ David Savard’s game-winning goal came with just 1:01 left.
Jarome Iginla, Gabriel Landeskog and Cody McLeod each scored for Colorado, while Semyon Varlamov finished with 23 saves. Iginla, a 16-year veteran, is tied for the team lead with 25 points (10G, 15A) in 39 games during his first season in Colorado. Although, he has just two points in his last five games.
Colorado is in the basement of the Central with just 38 points after taking the crown, for the first time, a season ago with 112 points. The Avalanche are playing six of its next eight games on the road, where it is 6-7-5 this season.
Rookie goaltender Calvin Pickard played in the previous match ups against Chicago. He allowed seven goals and stopped 70 shots, including 42 in his debut against the Blackhawks. Varlamov will also be making his fifth consecutive start. He is 7-8-5 with a 2.93 GAA and .911 save percentage on the season, and has gone 7-3-0 with a 2.20 GAA in 11 meetings against the Blackhawks.
Injury Report
Chicago: Kris Versteeg (hand) and Trevor vanRiemsdyk (knee)
Colorado: Patrick Bordeleau (kneecap), Ben Street (hand), Jamie McGinn (back), Ryan Wilson (shoulder) and Jesse Winchester (concussion)
Game Information
When: 7:30 p.m. CT
Where: United Center
TV: CSN
Radio: WGN-720
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