{coyotes} COYOTES (16-24-5) at BLACKHAWKS (28-15-2)

Monday, 19 January 2015

{coyotes} COYOTES (16-24-5) at BLACKHAWKS (28-15-2)

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

8:30 PM ET

COYOTES (16-24-5) at BLACKHAWKS (28-15-2)

TV: FS-A, CSN-CH

Season series: The Chicago Blackhawks won two of three games against the Arizona Coyotes in 2013-14. The Coyotes won the most recent game 2-0 on Feb. 7. It was the lone win in three starts against the Blackhawks for goalie Mike Smith, who went 1-1-1 with a 2.61 goals-against average and .932 save percentage. The Blackhawks are 4-1-1 against the Coyotes in their past six games.

Coyotes team scope: Forward Tobias Rieder scored late in the third period to force overtime against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, but the Coyotes lost 4-3 after a shootout. It was the only point the Coyotes have in their past five games. Arizona is 3-6-1 in its past 10 games. Defenseman Brandon Gormley is out because of a lower-body injury, and defenseman Zbynek Michalek and forward Mikkel Boedker are considered day-to-day with upper-body injuries. Boedker, who left the game Sunday early in the third period, is the Coyotes' third-leading scorer with 14 goals and 14 assists. Captain Shane Doan returned after missing two games because of a lower-body injury and finished with two assists, including the goal by Rieder that tied the game Sunday. Smith is expected to start against the Blackhawks.

Blackhawks team scope: Chicago's 6-3 loss to the Dallas Stars at United Center on Sunday was its second defeat in a row, something that hadn't happened since Nov. 1-2 in a weekend back-to-back set. Each loss was to a team behind them in the Central Division and each game was tied in the third period. The Blackhawks have lost three of their past four games, allowing a combined 16 goals, and hold a 5-6-0 record since Dec. 23. "Maybe we got comfortable in knowing where we were in the standings," coach Joel Quenneville said Monday. "We've got to value the two points. Two games in a row we're tied in the third period at home and we come up with no points. That's tough." The Blackhawks also held a team meeting Monday to review video and address their struggles. Goalie Antti Raanta will start against the Coyotes. Corey Crawford will start Wednesday at the Pittsburgh Penguins. Forward Daniel Carcillo is serving a six-game suspension handed down Monday by the NHL for a cross check that injured Mathieu Perreault of the Winnipeg Jets.

Team Stats