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Blackhawks-Oilers Preview

Jan 25, 2010 - 7:00 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Chicago (35-13-4) at Edmonton (16-28-6), 9:30 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks got off to a promising start on their season-high eight-game road swing. The trip, however, has not gone well since they headed to Canada.

In their final game outside the United States this season, the Blackhawks look to get back on track and earn a fourth straight road win over the Oilers on Tuesday night.

Chicago (35-13-4) opened its trek with consecutive wins before heading north of the border, where they have gone 1-2. The Blackhawks fell 4-1 to Ottawa on Jan. 19 before bouncing back with a 3-1 victory over Calgary on Thursday, but lost 5-1 to Vancouver on Saturday night.

Antti Niemi stopped 19 shots versus the Flames, but was pulled in the first period against the Canucks after allowing three goals. Cristobal Huet gave up two more over the final 15:58, giving him a 4.50 goals-against average in his last six road appearances.

Despite his team's 44-28 shot advantage, Jonathan Toews scored Chicago's only goal 3:30 into the final period. That cut the deficit to 3-1, but the Canucks responded 32 seconds later.

"It reminded me of the Ottawa game. We didn't have the energy. And our thought process, mentally, some of those mistakes we haven't seen those all year," coach Joel Quenneville said. "We had some momentum going after the last game, and we're disappointed with this game, for sure. We need to get back going."

Quenneville's team, which leads the Central Division by 13 points, will look to regroup against the owner of the NHL's lowest point total.

The Oilers (16-28-6) have dropped 17 of 18 overall and 13 of 14 at home. They are in an 0-8-2 freefall, their worst skid since losing 12 straight from Feb. 25-March 21, 2007.

Edmonton has been outscored 72-35 over its last 18 games and 40-20 during the losing streak. Its latest defeat came in heartbreaking fashion as it allowed the go-ahead goal with 22.2 seconds left to fall 4-3 to Dallas on Friday.

"That was a bad way to finish, for sure," coach Pat Quinn said. "It's disappointing. I hate it. I can't stand it. Tonight should have been a better feeling. It makes me sick to think of how we give games up."

Sam Gagner is one of the few Oilers who has produced during the skid with four goals and five assists. He scored three times in the past two games for Edmonton, which is among the NHL's lowest-scoring teams with 133 goals.

Gagner has not been nearly as productive against the Blackhawks recently, scoring one goal as Edmonton has gone 1-5-0 in the series since the start of last season. Chicago won the first two meetings of 2009-10, taking the most recent matchup 5-2 in Edmonton on Nov. 21.

That doesn't mean the Blackhawks are taking the Oilers for granted.

"We've got three more games on the road and we just have to face it, teams are going to be ready for us," forward Marian Hossa said. "We just have to respond."

Toews has a team-best five points in the two wins over the Oilers this season. He recorded two goals and an assist Nov. 21.