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Blackhawks-Stars Preview

Dec 28, 2009 - 8:52 PM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (26-9-3) at Dallas (16-11-11), 8:00 p.m. EDT

Patrick Kane has certainly been a big part of the Chicago Blackhawks' success. His goals have been particularly timely of late.

The Blackhawks and their surging 21-year-old star look to win their fourth straight in a matchup with the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night.

Kane has scored the winning goal in each of Chicago's last three games - the first such streak for a Blackhawks player since Murray Craven did it in 1995. Kane already has five game-winners after posting four in each of his first two seasons.

His hot streak helped Chicago (26-9-3) beat Nashville on consecutive nights, opening an eight-point lead in the Central Division over the second-place Predators.

Kane scored his second goal of the game with 43.4 seconds to play Sunday night, lifting the Blackhawks to a 5-4 win over Nashville. He gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead with a goal in the second period of a 4-1 victory the previous evening.

"We've had some amazing games, some spectacular endings," coach Joel Quenneville said. "It's all about finding a way to win. You win in different ways."

Kane, the team leader with 42 points, has six goals and seven assists over his last eight games, helping the Blackhawks win seven. Chicago's 55 points are the most it has had after 38 games since the 1982-83 team had 56.

The Blackhawks, though, had a four-game winning streak snapped in their only matchup of the season with the Stars (16-11-11), losing 4-3 at home Oct. 17. Chicago had won four straight versus Dallas.

Kane went pointless while the Stars received 29 saves from Alex Auld, who has started Dallas' last two games. After a strong effort in a 3-1 win over Columbus on Wednesday night, Auld struggled in a 4-1 loss at Colorado three days later.

Marty Turco, who sat out against the Avalanche due to illness, will likely get his 27th start. He's 14-5-1 with a 2.09 goals-against average in 22 games versus the Blackhawks, but is 1-3-0 with a 4.14 GAA in his last four contests against them.

Stars captain Brenden Morrow also should be back on the ice after sitting out against Colorado due to flu-like symptoms. The veteran left wing has seven goals and nine assists in his last 14 games against the Blackhawks.

Dallas missed Morrow on Saturday, managing one goal on 40 shots. The Stars, down 2-0 after the second period, may have tightened up down the stretch.

"When we put ourselves behind and we get behind, you make the game more difficult than it has to be," coach Marc Crawford said.

Now the Stars will contend with a Blackhawks team that has given up two goals or fewer nine times over its last 10 road games, going 7-2-1.