Music: {allcanada} CANADIENS (17-8-2) AT BLACKHAWKS (16-8-1)

Thursday, December 4, 2014

{allcanada} CANADIENS (17-8-2) AT BLACKHAWKS (16-8-1)

A Christmas Carol / The Muppet Christmas Carol

Friday, December 5, 2014

8:30 PM ET

CANADIENS (17-8-2) AT BLACKHAWKS (16-8-1)

TV: RDS, SNE, CSN-CH

Season series: The Chicago Blackhawks have gone 10-3-0 since beating the Montreal Canadiens 5-0 at Bell Center in their first game this season. Going into that game, the Blackhawks had lost two straight and were 2-5-0 in their previous seven contests.

Canadiens team scope: Montreal is 1-3-1 in its past five games and lost 2-1 Wednesday at the Minnesota Wild. The Canadiens committed six penalties resulting in five Minnesota power-play opportunities. Montreal failed to convert on its only man-advantage chance. The Canadiens' power play ranks 23rd in the NHL (14.1 percent), and they are 28th in the league in power-play opportunities.

Montreal didn't practice Thursday, opting to rest prior to facing the fast-paced Blackhawks, but the team did make a player move. Injured forward Michael Bournival (shoulder) was sent to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League for a three-game conditioning stint. If all goes well, he could return to the Montreal lineup on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks.

Blackhawks team scope: After heating up during a 5-1-0 road trip, the Blackhawks continued to roll Wednesday at United Center against the St. Louis Blues. They won 4-1 thanks to three goals to start the third period and a 40-save effort by goalie Antti Raanta. Along with Scott Darling, Raanta will shoulder the goalie duties for 2-3 weeks while injured starter Corey Crawford (lower body) recovers. Coach Joel Quenneville said after practice Thursday that Raanta will start against Montreal. He said injured left wing Patrick Sharp (lower body), who's practicing again, needs more time to fully heal. Quenneville said Thursday that Sharp, who was hurt in the first game against the Canadiens, will likely return next week.

Defensemen Duncan Keith, Johnny Oduya and Niklas Hjalmarsson rested Thursday and didn't practice. Following the game Wednesday, Chicago sent rookie defenseman Adam Clendening back to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League and recalled Swedish rookie Klas Dahlbeck.

Team Stats