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(Sports Network) - The Chicago Blackhawks will shoot for their longest winning streak in over a year when they host the rival Nashville Predators for tonights Central Division clash at the United Center. Jarvis Landry Jersey . You can watch the game live on TSN2 and TSN Mobile TV at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Blackhawks have posted five straight wins to a tie a season-high for consecutive victories, but Chicago hasnt win six in a row since an eight-game tear from Feb. 20-March 5 of last season. Every win it can get down the stretch will help Chicago in the battle for playoff positioning. The Blackhawks enter todays action as the sixth seed in the West and is trailing Nashville by just two points for the fifth seed. Idle Detroit is also just one point in front of the Predators for the fourth spot. Nashville, which won for just the second time in six games on Saturday, hopes it can shake its recent funk with a matchup against the Blackhawks, who have lost three straight to the Predators since opening this seasons series with an overtime win on Oct. 31. Nashville has claimed six of 10 overall in this matchup, but has lost in four of its last six trips to the Windy City. Beginning with tonights contest, the Blackhawks will not have top defenseman and former Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith for the next five games. Keith was handed a five-game suspension on Friday for elbowing Vancouvers Daniel Sedin in the head on Wednesday. Keith leads all Chicago defenseman with 40 points in 72 games this season. He is also first on the team with an average of 26 minutes, 53 seconds of ice time per game. Chicago has also played the last 15 games without captain Jonathan Toews, who hopes to be close to returning from a concussion. Toews has been skating with the team, but there is still no timetable for his return to game action. The Blackhawks should be well-rested for tonights game, having been off since Wednesdays 2-1 overtime victory against visiting Vancouver. Andrew Shaw scored the game-winning goal 2:42 into overtime for Chicago. Patrick Kane scored in regulation and Corey Crawford made 24 saves in the victory for the Blackhawks. "Its the right time to peak," Kane said. "A couple of weeks ago we were fighting for a playoff spot and hoping that we were going to get in any way possible. It looks pretty bright right now, but we have to keep winning, keep playing the right way and see how high we can get." Chicago has won three straight on home ice and is 26-7-5 as the host this season. The Predators had lost two straight and four of five before posting a 3-1 win over the visiting Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. Matt Halischuk and Gabriel Bourque tallied in the second period for Nashville and Shea Weber added an empty-netter to seal the game with 10 seconds left in the third. Pekka Rinne stopped 24-of-25 shots and earned his 40th victory of the season. "Its nice to get two points until we go on a tough four-game stretch," Predators defenseman Kevin Klein said. The Predators, who are 19-15-3 as the guest this season, are opening a three- game road trip tonight and will also visit St. Louis and Chicago during the swing. Nashville will then meet the Blackhawks again at home on March 31. Blues at Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes will try to open an important four-game homestand with a victory, as they welcome the Western Conference-leading St. Louis Blues for tonights battle at Jobing.com Arena. The playoff-hopeful Coyotes have been scuffling for points in recent weeks, going 4-1-4 while alternating losses and wins over their last nine games. Phoenix enters today as the seventh seed in the West, but is just one point ahead of Los Angeles, San Jose and Colorado, who are all off on Sunday. The Coyotes are also tied with Dallas for first place in the Pacific Division. The Stars, who already have a game in hand over Phoenix, are also idle today. In addition to tonights test against the Blues, Phoenix will host San Jose, Anaheim and Columbus during its four-game residency. The Coyotes, who will close the regular season with tests in St. Louis and Minnesota, are 19-12-6 as the host this year. The Coyotes earned one point on Saturday, losing a shootout decision in San Jose. Michal Handzus scored in the first round of the shootout and Ryane Clowe sealed the 4-3 victory with a goal in the second round. Daymond Langkow, Derek Morris and Lauri Korpikoski lit the lamp in regulation for Phoenix, while Mike Smith stopped 29 shots in defeat. "Its unfortunate we couldnt get the two points," Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett said. "I thought our guys competed hard and we found a way to get a valuable point." Phoenix captain Shane Doan will serve the final portion of a three-game suspension tonight. Doan was given the ban for an elbow to the head of Dallas forward Jamie Benn. The Blues have already clinched a playoff spot, but Ken Hitchcock would still like his club to avoid its fifth loss in six games tonight. St. Louis, which leads the Central Division and Western Conference and is tied for the NHL lead with the New York Rangers at 101 points, is just 1-2-2 over its last five games. Despite the slump, the Blues still hold a six-point lead over Detroit for first place in the Central with seven games left for both teams. St. Louis is just two points in front of Vancouver for the conference lead. Both the Red Wings and Canucks are off on Sunday. St. Louis lost a 1-0 shootout decision in Los Angeles on Thursday, dropping the Blues to 2-2-2 on a seven-game road trip that ends tonight. The Blues are just 17-16-5 as the road team this year compared to a stellar 29-4-4 home record. St. Louis will play four of its next five games at home. The Kings won Thursdays game on Jeff Carters game-winner in the fourth round of the shootout. Carter raced down the center of the ice and made a quick fake in the slot before slipping a shot in between the legs of Brian Elliott. Chris Stewart had a chance to keep the Blues alive, but his backhander hit the outside of the left post. Elliott made 37 saves for his seventh shutout of the year. Elliott and teammate Jaroslav Halak have combined for a team-record tying 13 shutouts on the season. "Its tough not getting a goal but we did get a point. We played a good team game tonight and [Quick] made some big saves at the other end," said Elliott. Blues defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo suffered an injury to his lower back on Thursday and is questionable for tonights test. St. Louis is 2-0 against the Coyotes this season and has won five of eight overall in this series. Phoenix has taken three of the last five meetings in the desert. Reshad Jones Black Friday Jersey . -- San Francisco Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro says he will begin the season on the disabled list.Jelani Jenkins Dolphins Jersey . The Vikings announced Saturday they downgraded Peterson from doubtful on the original injury report to out against Detroit Sunday, when the Vikings and Lions will play the last game at the Metrodome.LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Clippers hadnt even digested the final loss of their tumultuous season before they had to consider the growing possibility that owner Donald Sterling wont leave the club quietly. After a month of playoff pressure and incredible off-court drama, a 104-98 loss to Oklahoma City on Thursday night ended the Clippers best season in franchise history. Their summer could match the tumult of the last few weeks, given Sterlings apparent determination to fight his lifetime NBA ban for racist remarks. "I dont think thats an ideal situation for us to start next season with that still going on," All-Star forward Blake Griffin said Friday. If Sterling and his long-estranged wife, Shelly, manage to postpone their ouster with legal manoeuvrs, several Clippers arent sure whether they would play for the team in the fall. They hope they dont have to find out. "Personally, I think the longer it lasts, the worse its going to be," Griffin said. "I think something should happen, and I think it should happen quickly. I think guys need to make decisions. I dont think anybody wants this to drag out -- except for, you know, one or two people. I think it just needs to be swift. We can make our decision, they can make their decision, and make a change." A few weeks after the players dumped their warm-up jerseys at centre court in Oakland in a gesture of solidarity against Sterling, the Clippers are clearly hoping they wont have to return in the fall with the saga still hanging over the franchise. "I dont anticipate that being how its going to be," Griffin said. "And if it still is, Ill make a decision then, but its not something thats ideal." Guard J.J. Redick predicts the process of removing Sterling will be lengthy, saying the Clippers realize "things will be in flux for a while." "I cant imagine a scenario where we start the season next year and hes the owner and all is kosher," Redick added. "He may be the owner when we start the season next year still, but I would imagine that there would be some legal proceedings ongoing if thats the scenario." Coach Doc Rivers didnt speak to the media on Friday, but the franchises shepherd through the last few weeks made it clear Thursday night that he planss to return to the Clippers. Derrick Shelby Dolphins Jersey. "I told them were going to have our day," Rivers said. "This is not the end. This is the beginning for us. ... Like Ive said before, Im under contract. I have no plans of going anywhere, as far as I know." Although Griffin, Chris Paul and their teammates were devastated by their final losses to the Thunder, Los Angeles will have plenty to savour. Although the Clippers had legitimate dreams of NBA title contention after acquiring Rivers from Boston last June, theyll have to settle for another division title and another learning experience on their path to a championship. "We definitely have to go through this," Griffin said. "Winning -- nobody has the formula. The more I lose, every time I lose, every time we lose as a team, its like I figure out how not to do it. I dont want to keep this up, but it is a necessary adversity that you have to go through as a player to get to where you want. Ive heard guys say that makes it that much sweeter when you do win." The Clippers 57-25 record was the best in franchise history, and their 113 wins over the last two years dwarf any other two-year stretch for a long-struggling franchise. Los Angeles won the Pacific Division for the second straight year and the second time in franchise history. Their first-round series against Golden State would have been taxing even without the distraction of Sterling, but Los Angeles hung on in the fourth quarter of Game 7 at home to finish off the Warriors. Paul and Griffin got the Clippers to the brink of a breakthrough win in Game 5 in Oklahoma City, leading by 13 points with less than four minutes to play -- but Pauls turnovers and fouls in the final seconds allowed the Thunder to grab an astonishing comeback victory. Los Angeles again failed to execute late in Game 6, leading to their ouster and a disappointed crowd at Staples Center. The Clippers earned just their third playoff series victory since Sterling bought the franchise 33 years ago, but couldnt advance to the conference finals for the first time in club history. "You wait your whole life to play with a group of guys like that, and you hope thats the group you end up winning with," Redick said. "When it doesnt happen, its devastating." ' ' ' |
