NASHVILLE PREDATORS (3-1-0-0) AT CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (1-4-0-0), 7 P.M. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
(Sports Network) - The Chicago Blackhawks try to bounce back from an embarrassing loss on Saturday when they host the surging Nashville Predators at the United Center.
After winning their first contest of the season, the Blackhawks have dropped four straight games by a combined 18-5 margin, including Saturday's 7-2 drubbing at the hands of the Atlanta Thrashers.
Steve Sullivan and Tyler Arnason scored for the Blackhawks, who gave up four power-play goals and were shorthanded an amazing 15 times. Chicago committed 22 penalties -- 15 in the third period alone -- covering 75 penalty minutes -- 10 more than they had in their first four games combined. At one point there were five players in the Hawks penalty box.
Jocelyn Thibault turned away 23-of-28 shots before exiting the contest. Michael Leighton encountered 16 shots the rest of the way and made 14 saves in the loss.
Following tonight's game, the Blackhawks take off on a four-game west coast road trip that begins in San Jose on Thursday night. Then, it's on to Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Phoenix before returning home on October 30th to play host to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Nashville, meanwhile, continued its impressive start on Saturday, as it disposed of Columbus, 3-2. Greg Johnson tallied a goal and an assist, while Tomas Vokoun made 26 saves in the winning effort for the Preds, who matched their best start in team history.
The 2000-01 Nashville team also began the year with wins in three of its first four games and suffered just one loss through their first six contests (4-1-1). A win tonight by Preds would be the first time that the team racked up four wins through five games.
Nashville, which will be playing its first road game of the season this evening, was 9-18-8-6 away from home last year.
Chicago was 3-1-1 against the Predators last season and is 8-5-1 in the previous 14 matchups. Nashville has also lost three straight and four of its last five in the Windy City.
MINNESOTA WILD (1-3-1-0) AT DALLAS STARS (3-2-0-0), 7 P.M. ----------------------------------------------------------
(Sports Network) - The Minnesota Wild try and put the brakes on a three-game winless streak tonight when they face the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Arena.
On Saturday Jim Dowd and Matt Johnson tallied for the Wild in their 2-2 deadlock with the Dallas Stars. Dwayne Roloson stopped 22-of-24 shots for Minnesota, whose 1-3-1 beginning is a far cry for its 8-1-2 start a year ago.
The Wild, 0-2-1 in their last three, continue to play without its two leading scorers from a season ago, Marian Gaborik and Pascal Dupuis, both of whom are unsigned Group II/restricted free agents. Gaborik, however, is in Minnesota trying to hammer out a deal.
Tonight's game is the first of 16 back-to-back contests for the Wild this season, 13 of which are on the road.
The Stars, meanwhile, comes into tonight's game on a winning note after Philippe Boucher and Bill Guerin scored second- period goals to lift Dallas to a 4-2 victory over Washington on Friday.
Jason Arnott had a goal and an assist for the Stars, who have won three of their first five games (3-2) to start the season. Brenden Morrow added two assists for Dallas in the victory.
Scott Young also scored and Marty Turco made 23 saves for the Stars, who will be playing the third leg of a four-game homestand tonight.
Forward Jere Lehtinen missed his third straight game with back spasms, but could be ready to go tonight.
On the injury front for Minnesota, center Wes Walz was a scratch on Saturday with the flu and his status for tonight's contest is uncertain. Right wing Richard Park also did not play and remains day-to-day. He has yet to play this season because of a strained ligament in his right knee, but head coach Jacques Lemaire indicated that Park might be available tonight.
Minnesota took three of the four matchups between the two teams last season and is 4-1-1 over the last six encounters. The Wild are also 3-2-1 in the their six visits to Big D.
BOSTON BRUINS (2-1-2-0) AT MIGHTY DUCKS OF ANAHEIM (0-4-0-0), 8 P.M. --------------------------------------------------------------------
(Sports Network) - The Western Conference-champion Mighty Ducks of Anaheim continue the search for their first victory tonight when they invite the Boston Bruins to the Pond.
Anaheim is 0-4 for the first time in team history and has been outscored by a 12-2 margin in those losses. Its most recent setback occurred on Friday when the Ducks were dealt their second consecutive shutout loss, a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Ottawa Senators.
It was the first time the Ducks have been shutout in consecutive regular- season games since January 12-14, 2001, by Buffalo and Carolina.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere, 0-3 since winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, finished with 25 saves in the setback for Anaheim, which has scored since Rob Niedermayer's tally less than a minute into the third period back on October 9, a drought 139:18. Niedermayer has both of the team's goals this season.
Anaheim's best scoring chance on Friday came early on in the third period, but Ottawa netminder Patrick Lalime robbed Stanislav Chistov with a glove save on a shot from point blank range.
The Ducks are the only team this season without a point.
Boston, meanwhile, comes into tonight's contest on a high note after a thrilling win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Patrice Bergeron and Mike Knuble scored just 44 seconds apart late in the third period, lifting the B's to a 4-3 victory.
Bergeron finished with a goal and two assists for Boston, which rallied from a 3-0 deficit and won its second straight game after opening the season 0-1-2. The Bruins scored three times in the third and held the Kings without a shot on goal during the final 20 minutes.
Brian Rolston notched a goal and an assist for Boston, while Sandy McCarthy got the comeback started with his first goal of the season.
Felix Potvin, facing the Kings for the first time since leaving as an unrestricted free agent this past offseason, stopped 15 shots in his first victory as a Bruin.
The Ducks won the lone meeting between the teams last season, but is just 2-4-1 in the last seven matchups. Boston is also 2-0-1 in its last three trips to Anaheim.
