BLACKHAWKS (34-16-4) AT COYOTES (24-21-5)
TV: CSN-CH, FS-A, NHL.TV
9pm et
Season series: The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Arizona Coyotes 7-5 at Gila River Arena on Dec. 29. It was the Blackhawks' first victory in a franchise-record 12-game win streak. Right wing Patrick Kane and defenseman Duncan Keith led Chicago with a goal and two assists each. Shane Doan had a hat trick for Arizona, which got three assists each from defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and center Tobias Rieder.
Blackhawks team scope: Chicago will get captain Jonathan Toews back after he served a one-game suspension in the Blackhawks' 2-1 win at the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. Toews was suspended for missing the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game in Nashville. Toews rejoined the Blackhawks for practice in Arizona on Wednesday and said the decision to rest during the All-Star break was needed. "It's not an easy thing, considering the fact that you want to represent your team and your teammates, and be there for the fans that are behind you," Toews told the Blackhawks website. "It's always an honor and a special thing to be part of something like that, but it just got to the point where things were not getting better the last number of games before the break. ... I was digressing more and more, and coming down to it, in the bigger picture it was the right thing to do to make sure I'm ready to play and be healthy coming out of the break." Toews' return prompted the forward lines to return to normal. Defenseman Michal Rozsival, who sat out against the Avalanche because of a lower-body injury, will return to the lineup. Goalie Corey Crawford will start Thursday.
Coyotes team scope: Arizona is looking for improvement killing penalties. The Coyotes allowed three power-play goals in a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and dropped to 28th in the NHL with a 75.9 percent success rate on penalty kills. Two of the five goals Louis Domingue allowed before being pulled were power-play goals. The only goal allowed by Anders Lindback, who replaced Domingue, was scored on a man-advantage. "Our save percentage on the PK is way below what it should be, what the anticipated [level] is, so that's an area we've got to clean up," coach Dave Tippett told the Coyotes website. "Can we do a better job killing penalties, getting pucks down the ice and winning faceoffs? Sure, you can. But [when] you're penalty killing, you need saves. That's the bottom line." Arizona did not practice Wednesday. No decision has been announced on the starting goalie. Forward Steve Downie was recalled from Springfield of the American Hockey League on Tuesday.
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