Game Notes: October 2009 Archives

* The Canadiens were blown out, 6-1, by the Penguins on Wednesday and had their 4-game win streak snapped in the process. Montreal has now dropped four straight road contests by a combined score of 20-7.
* Chicago was shut out, 2-0, by the Predators in Nashville last night and has now lost three of five overall. The Blackhawks averaged 3.7 goals per game in their first six games of 2009-10, but are averaging just 2.2 in their last six contests.
* Montreal beat Chicago, 4-1, in the two clubs' only meeting last season and has now taken five of the last six contests from the Blackhawks overall.
* Tomas Plekanec netted the Habs' only goal in Wednesday's loss and is now riding a personal 4-game point streak overall (1g, 4a during streak).
* Michael Cammalleri had his 5-game point streak snapped on Wednesday and is still searching for his 300^th career NHL point. Cammalleri is pointless in each of his last four skates vs. the Blackhawks.
* The Blackhawks have converted just one of their last 21 power-play opportunities (4.8%), a streak stretching back to their October 15 game at Nashville. Chicago clicked on seven of its first 25 chances with the man-advantage in 2009-10 (28.0%).

* The Wild have won 15 of their last 19 meetings with Chicago, including three of the four matchups between the clubs last season.

* The Blackhawks have lost two of their last three games after losing just twice in their previous seven contests.

* Minnesota has yet to win on the road this season (0-7-0) and leads the league in road losses. The Wild have won two of their last three overall after losing six of their first seven to open the season.

* Martin Havlat will be facing his former team for the first time since signing with Minnesota in the summer. Havlat has just one goal and four assists on the season and has been held without a point in each of his last five games.

* Niklas Backstrom is 0-5-0 with a 2.65 GAA on the road this season and is 3-2-0 with a 1.81 GAA in five career starts against the Blackhawks.

* The Blackhawks are averaging the second-most shots on goal in the league this season (34.1), while they are holding their opponents to an NHL-low 22.4 shots.

* The Blackhawks have won four of their last five games against the Predators.

* The Blackhawks' power play is struggling at home this season, with only two goals in 22 chances (9.1 percent).

* Patrick Kane has four goals and 11 assists in his 15 games against the Predators.

* In Wednesday's game against Vancouver, Patrick Sharp was held without a point at home for the first time this season. Sharp has three goals and three assists in six home games this season.

* Nashville's six goals against Ottawa on Thursday equaled their total from their previous six games.

* J.P. Dumont set a career-high with five points (1 G, 4 A) in Thursday's win over Ottawa.

* Chicago is 8-3-0 in its last 11 games against the Stars, including wins in each of the last four games.
* Chicago's defensemen have registered 25 points so far this season, the most in the league.
* Brian Campbell played in his 500^th career game on Thursday. His 211 assists are tied for the fifth most by any active defenseman through his first 500 career games.
* The Blackhawks have scored 12 of their 25 goals in the second period this season. The 12 second-period goals are the second most in the league.

* Chicago and Nashville split last year's season series with each team winning three times. The Blackhawks have just one win in their last four trips to Nashville.

* The Blackhawks will be looking to extend their winning streak to four in a row.

* Nashville has been outscored 13-1 during its current three-game losing streak and has been shut out twice in its last three contests.

* Patrick Sharp has recorded at least one point in all six of his games this season, including goals in five of the six contests. Sharp has been held pointless in each of his last three games against the Predators.

* David Legwand has 13 points (7g, 6a) in his last seven home games against Chicago. Legwand has 18 goals and 26 assists in his career against the Blackhawks which are both career highs for him against any opponent.

* Nashville has scored a league-low six goals this season, while Chicago is tied for the third-most in the NHL with 22.

* Chicago won three of the four meetings between these teams last season and has won five of its last eight home games against the Oilers.

* Both the Oilers and Blackhawks will be looking to extend their winning streaks to three games in a row.

* Patrick Sharp has recorded at least one point in all five of his games this season, including goals in four of the five contests. Sharp has five goals in his last seven games against Edmonton.

* Nikolai Khabibulin will be facing his former team for the first time after signing with the Oilers as a free agent over the summer. Khabibulin spent the last four seasons with Chicago, posting 90 wins and a 2.81 GAA in 202 career games with them.

* Cristobal Huet has two wins and a 1.68 GAA in three career starts against Edmonton.

* The Blackhawks are averaging the second-most shots on goal per game in the league this season (37.4), while the Oilers are tied for the third-fewest (25.0).

* The Avalanche own the best special team difference (Own PPG+SHG - Opp PPG+SHG) in the NHL at +4.

* Colorado has been outshot by an average of 13.7 shots on goal per game in its first three games, but have been victorious twice and taken four of a possible six points.

* Marek Svatos got his first goal of the season on Thursday night. It was his first goal in 14 games dating back to last season.

* This will be Chicago's first true home game of the season after opening with a designated home game in Helsinki, Finland versus Florida on October 2. The Blackhawks were 24-9-8 at the United Center in 2008-09.

* Patrick Sharp leads the team with three goals and has scored one in all three games this season.

* Patrick Kane has gone goalless in his last six encounters with the Avalanche.

* These teams will be meeting for the first time since Detroit defeated Chicago, 4-1, in last year's Western Conference Finals.

* Including the postseason, the Red Wings have won 18 of their last 22 home games against the Blackhawks.

* The last time Detroit lost its first three games to open a season was the 1989-90 campaign.

* Nicklas Lidstrom has 26 goals in his career against Chicago which are the most in his career against any opponent. However, he has been held pointless in each of his last four meetings with them.

* Patrick Kane has recorded a goal and an assist in each of his two games so far this season. Kane has eight points (3g, 5a) in his last eight games against Detroit.

* Chris Osgood has 11 wins and a 2.11 GAA in his last 15 starts against Chicago. Osgood has 26 wins in his career against the Blackhawks which are the second-most in his career against any opponent (28 vs. Dallas).