Road-weary Coyotes brace for Blackhawks onslaught
The Chicago Blackhawks appear unlikely to have home-ice advantage when the playoffs begin next week, but the defending Stanley Cup champion have plenty at stake as they approach their final three games of the regular season.
The Blackhawks are looking to keep their offense is clicking on all cylinders as they host the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night.
The game can is one of two that can be seen on a special FOX Sports Arizona channel dedicated to the Coyotes, starting at 5 p.m. Click here for channel information.
Chicago (46-26-7) has won four of its last five games but remains six points behind Central Division co-leaders Dallas and Chicago, meaning the Blackhawks are likely to open the postseason on the road against whichever of the co-leaders fall into second place. That's a familiar scenario for the Blackhawks, who also opened last season's playoffs on the road en route to winning the Cup.
Of greater import is keeping their offense on track after a troubling late-season slump. They've tallied 11 goals in their last two games and are averaging 3.8 in their last five after totaling 14 goals in their previous seven.
"We have to try to finish the season really strong and get used to each other," said Tomas Fleischman said after Sunday's 6-4 win over Boston, "and right now we are doing that."
Patrick Kane had three goals to give him 43 on the season and added an assist to give him 100 points.
Chicago's firepower has been in prominent display in two previous matchups with the Coyotes (35-37-7) -- a 7-5 win on Dec. 29 and a 5-4 overtime victory on Feb. 4. Artemin Panarin had a goal and six assists in the two victories, and Jonathan Toews has three goals in the two games.
The Coyotes have enjoyed surprising recent success at the United Center, winning four of the past six games there, but they're only 2-12-1 away from home since Jan. 26.
And they'll be playing in the back end of a back-to-back, coming off a 5-2 loss to St. Louis on Monday night in which the Blues scored five unanswered goals to wipe out Arizona's early 2-0 lead.
"We were flat after the first," Anthony Duclair said. "I don't know if we thought it was going to be easier, but we definitely got away from the things we were doing right."
Duclair scored his 20th goal to rank fifth among all rookies. Panarin leads all first-year players with 28 goals and 72 points, and he has three scores and five assists in the last two games.
Louis Domingue is expected to start in goal after Mike Smith made his third consecutive start Monday.
Marian Hossa is unlikely to play for Chicago after leaving with a lower-body injury Sunday. Coach Joel Quenneville expects the veteran will be healthy for the playoffs, and is targeting goaltender Corey Crawford to return for Saturday's season finale at Columbus. Scott Darling is likely to make a 10th consecutive start in net and face the Coyotes for the first time.
The Blackhawks have converted 3 of 6 power plays in the last two games following an 0-for-26 stretch and have also snuffed out all 11 penalties in the last five after compiling an NHL-worst 67.9 penalty kill percentage from Feb. 9-March 22.
The Coyotes are enduring their share of struggles when down a man, allowing opponents to go 10 for 31 on the power play in the last eight games.
