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Predators-Blackhawks Preview

Dec 8, 2015 - 6:01 AM Chicago's franchise-record point streak is Patrick Kane's, as is the top run for an American-born player. Wayne Gretzky's NHL record will also be his - in another 30 games.

So rather than worry about likely unreachable records, Kane and the Blackhawks get back to work Tuesday night on tracking down four Central Division teams, among them the visiting Nashville Predators for the teams' first meeting since last postseason to start a home-and-home set.

The team-record 22-game point streak came in Sunday's 3-1 home victory over Winnipeg with Kane assisting on Artemi Panarin's empty-net goal via a legal hand pass with under two minutes remaining.

"It's not your usual point, I guess," Kane said.

But there's been plenty lately he has been able to take pride in, scoring 13 goals with 23 assists on his way to a league-leading 42 points, and his 36 on the streak are more than anyone else has for the season. Kane's 1.56 points per game mark is 0.39 higher than his previous career best from 2012-13.

He's tied with Dany Heatley for the third longest dating to 2005-06, during which Sidney Crosby's 2010-11 25-game streak is the league's longest.

Kane's line with Panarin and Artem Anisimov was for once overshadowed by Chicago's top line of Marian Hossa, Teuvo Teravainen and Jonathan Toews. Hossa had a goal and an assist after recording two points in his previous seven contests.

"(Hossa) had a great game," coach Joel Quenneville told the team's official website. "That was his best game of the year. He scored, made a great play at the net, made a couple great back checks tonight and that line had a great start to the third period. Teuvo scores a big goal for us as well. Nice to get some contributions away from (the second) line."

The win ended a 0-1-2 span, and another in regulation would push Chicago (14-9-4) past Nashville (14-8-5) by a point. Last season, the Blackhawks eliminated the Predators in six games in the first round to complete a 7-3-0 season series.

Hossa had three goals in the last two regular-season meetings, and Toews had eight points in the playoff series.

Nashville is concluding a three-game road trip seeking its first consecutive wins since Nov. 14-17. It won 3-2 in Boston on Monday but has allowed 3.10 goals per game over a 3-5-2 span. Roman Josi, who has three goals and three assists in his last four games, tied it in both the first and second periods before Viktor Arvidsson scored for the second straight game with just under five minutes remaining. Shea Weber had two assists, giving him three goals and five assists in his last four.

"We thought we played some really good games lately and kind of found a way to lose and tonight we found a way to win that game," Josi told the team's official website. "We stayed disciplined tonight and it was a good win."

Both of Josi's goals came on the power play, giving the Predators a 5-for-11 mark in the last two games. The problem is they also allowed a power-play goal, and their penalty kill is just 9 for 17 in the last six contests.

Carter Hutton faced the Bruins, so Pekka Rinne will try to right things against the Blackhawks. The Nashville No. 1 has a 3.16 goals-against average and .867 save percentage on a 1-4-2 span and went 0-3-1 with a 3.19 GAA in Chicago last season.

He'll face Corey Crawford, who has leveled out with 2.21 and .926 marks over a 3-1-1 span after struggling through most of November. He only played three games in the playoff series against the Predators and is 4-4-0 with a 3.51 GAA and .870 save percentage in his last nine games against them.