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Maple Leafs-Blackhawks Preview

Nov 12, 2009 - 8:54 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Toronto (3-8-5) at Chicago (10-5-2), 8:30 p.m. EDT

Jonathan Toews had just become a teenager the last time the Chicago Blackhawks won six straight home games.

If Toews can continue his steady play since returning from an injury, the Blackhawks may have a good chance to duplicate that feat when they face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.

Toews was 13 years old when Chicago won seven in a row at the United Center from Dec. 27, 2001-Jan. 20, 2002, and he has Chicago (10-5-2) closing in on matching that streak.

After sitting out six games with concussion-like symptoms, Toews scored in his return Monday to help the Blackhawks snap a two-game slide with a 4-1 home win over Los Angeles. Two nights later at the United Center, he had an assist and scored in the shootout of a 3-2 victory against Colorado.

Patrick Sharp, previously 4 for 17 in shootouts, had the winning goal in the third round as Chicago improved to 2-0 on its four-game homestand.

The first-place Blackhawks begin their six-game circus road trip Nov. 19 against Calgary.

"(This win) means a lot," Sharp said. "These four games this week at home are huge points for us. We want to take advantage of this home ice. We got a tough road trip ahead of us. We can't look too far ahead. We just have to focus on that next game."

That next game has Chicago facing a Toronto team that is enduring another disappointing season. After back-to-back last-place finishes in the Northeast Division, the Maple Leafs started this season a franchise-worst 0-7-1.

They showed signs of improvement by earning 10 points over the next seven games, but produced an uninspired effort a 5-2 loss to visiting Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Toronto (3-5-2) was tied with the Wild after the first period, but failed to score over the next 38:05 while allowing three straight goals in the second.

"It's not acceptable and we know that in this dressing room," forward Matt Stajan said. "We didn't play a full 60 minutes and at times we looked really flat. We can't play like that in our own building. We've got to learn from this because these are costly points. Just as we're starting to creep back in past a few teams, it would have been a big two points for us."

Chicago won the last four meetings with Toronto, outscoring the Leafs 18-10 during that span.

Dave Bolland scored 49 seconds into overtime to give the Blackhawks a 5-4 victory in the most recent matchup Nov. 22, but he will miss three to four months after surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back Tuesday.

Sharp has three goals in the last two meetings with the Leafs.

The Blackhawks, looking for their ninth home win of 2009-10, didn't reach that mark last season until Dec. 10.