Blues-Blackhawks

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BLUES PREVIEW ? As bad a season as the Blues have had at Scottrade Center this season, they are 5-2 in their last seven games at home. They have a chance to go 3-0 on their home stand with a win tonight.


BLACKHAWKS PREVIEW ? Chicago has 99 points this season, but the Blackhawks are just 5-6-2 in March. They are coming off back-to-back losses to Columbus, in which the Blue Jackets outscored them 12-5.

WHAT TO WATCH ? The Blackhawks are leaning toward using goaltender Antti Niemi in the playoffs. After allowing three goals in a 4-2 loss to Columbus, Niemi is expected to get the start tonight against the Blues.

INJURIES ? Blues ? D Roman Polak (shoulder), questionable. Blackhawks ? D Kim Johnsson (undisclosed), questionable; D Brian Campbell (broken collarbone, rib), out.

 

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Chicago is slumping as Blackhawks visit Blues




The Chicago Blackhawks are headed to the playoffs for the second straight season, and one point tonight against the Blues would give them back-to-back 100-point seasons.

But not all is rosy for Blues' bitter rival, which has lost seven of its past 10 games and is coming off back-to-back losses to Columbus heading into tonight's game at Scottrade Center.

"We've got eight games (remaining), and certainly we're not pleased with the pace of our game," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville told the Chicago Tribune.

The 'Hawks were outscored 12-5 in consecutive defeats to the Blue Jackets. In Thursday's 8-3 loss, goaltender Cristobal Huet allowed seven goals on 27 shots. On Sunday, goalie Antti Niemi surrendered three goals on 19 shots. But the netminders haven't been the only problem.


"We have to get back to work and get back to playing our style of hockey," Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook told reporters. "These last two games wasn't us. We don't play like that.

"We have to realize we have a chance to win the Stanley Cup this year. You don't get too many opportunities to do that. We have to pull together and be better."

On Sunday, Quenneville took the extreme step of breaking up Seabrook and longtime defensive partner Duncan Keith.

"We tried to get a little balance there," Quenneville said. "When you're not winning, you mix up the lines, and you can always try mixing up the 'D' a little bit, too."




BERGLUND APOLOGIZES

Blues center Patrik Berglund was back on the ice Monday after apologizing to teammates for missing practice Saturday because he overslept.

"I let down my teammates not showing up to practice," Berglund said. "It's my responsibility and I accept the consequences obviously. ... It's nothing you want to have on your record. I'm very disappointed in myself. It's going to take a long time for me to get over what happened. But I have good teammates and this is a really good organization, and I know that I will be fine."

Berglund was scratched from Sunday's 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. On Monday, teammates said they accepted Berglund's apology and were moving forward.




NO. 1 HIT

Blues forward David Backes had seven hits against the Oilers on Sunday, ranking him seventh in the NHL this season with 233 hits.

Since the start of the 2007-08 season, Backes has a total of 677 hits, which is tied for second in the league with New York Rangers forward Ryan Callahan in that stretch. (L.A.'s Dustin Brown is first with 866).

"If I was a country band, I would be very successful with that many hits in three years," Backes quipped.

Over those three seasons, Backes has the most hits of any Blues player by far. After Backes' 677, the next player on the list is defenseman Barret Jackman with 327.

 

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Switching it up

Hawks Coach Joel Quenneville said he doesn't mind experimenting with different lines and pairings when things aren't going well. He has done it often in the past.

So with the Hawks in a funk, that's what Quenneville did in Sunday's 4-2 loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets and again at practice Monday.

One option Quenneville is considering is returning Dustin Byfuglien, who was moved to defense when Brian Campbell and Brent Seabrook were injured, to wing. Byfuglien practiced on a line with Patrick Kane and Kris Versteeg.

''I like the versatility in Buff,'' Quenneville said. ''We may use him at forward a little bit here. We sat Nick [Boynton] out last game. We may put Buff up. But in games, it's a nice option to have Buff go back and forth.''

Keith and Seabrook, the Hawks' top defensive pairing for most of the season, was broken up against Columbus as Quenneville tried to balance out his defensive pairings. Quenneville plans to keep them apart tonight against the St. Louis Blues, too.

Keith was paired with Brent Sopel and Seabrook with Niklas Hjalmarsson on Sunday.

''You got to be able to play with different players,'' said Keith, who was paired with various players in the Olympics. ''I'm comfortable playing with [Sopel].''

Another intriguing line at practice was Jonathan Toews centering Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp.

''When you're not winning, you got to try things,'' Quenneville said. ''Hopefully, we can recapture some chemistry. We know we have a lot of options to fall back on, too.''
Slap shots

Antti Niemi will start tonight against the Blues. Niemi is 20-6-3 with a .910 save percentage after suffering the loss Sunday against Columbus.

? Defenseman Kim Johnsson (upper body) is still considered day-to-day. He did not skate on Monday.