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Blue Jackets-Blackhawks Preview

Oct 23, 2010 - 4:23 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Columbus (3-2-0) at Chicago (5-2-1), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks will try to start a new winning streak against the team they began their last one against.

After seeing a four-game win streak come to an end, the Blackhawks will try to make it four in a row at the United Center when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.

Chicago (5-3-1) fell 4-2 at St. Louis on Friday, giving up two goals in the third period after the game was tied after two. Patrick Sharp and Brent Seabrook scored, and Marty Turco stopped 24 shots.

"We were a little sloppy," defenseman Duncan Keith said. "I just think we could have played better in a lot of different areas."

The Blackhawks' win streak started with a 5-2 win over Columbus (3-3-0) last Friday that spoiled the Blue Jackets' home opener. Sharp scored two goals while Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky each added a goal and an assist.

Against St. Louis, Chicago twice rallied from one-goal deficits, but felt that coming back forced the club to expend too much energy.

"We've got to play Chicago Blackhawk hockey from the start and when we don't do that, that's when we give up the lead right away," winger Jack Skille said. "We were playing from behind so we were still pretty positive in here. Nobody got down."

Hossa was held without a point for the second straight game Friday. The winger had seven goals and four assists in his first seven games.

Sharp matched Hossa for the team lead with seven goals, including six in his last five games.

First-year Columbus coach Scott Arniel hinted at substantial changes Saturday after the Blue Jackets fell 6-2 at home to Calgary on Friday. Leading goal scorers Rick Nash, Kristian Huselius and R.J. Umberger all failed to record a point.

"We're getting an awful lot of mileage out of our grit players and we need more from some of our top people," Arniel said.

Center Kyle Wilson made his Blue Jackets debut an inauspicious one after being a healthy scratch in the first five games. Wilson was whistled for two penalties in the first period that Columbus killed off only to allow goals shortly after the power plays expired.

In addition, the Blue Jackets had no shots and gave up a goal on two power plays over the first two periods.

"It shouldn't happen," Nash said. "We are at home in front of our home fans. We are just disappointed in the effort we put in tonight."

Columbus finished 0 for 4 on the power play, and is 0 for 15 in its last four games.

Umberger had a goal and an assist in last week's meeting, giving him 10 points in his last seven games against Chicago.

The Blue Jackets have won their two previous games when playing the second half of a back-to-back set. The Blackhawks are 1-0 in such contests.