• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Blackhawks take aim at fifth straight victory in meeting with Wild

Feb 28, 2011 - 3:29 PM (Sports Network) - The Chicago Blackhawks try to secure a season-best fifth straight victory this evening when they visit the Minnesota Wild and the Xcel Energy Center.

Both the Blackhawks and Wild come into this game with 72 points, tied with the Stars and Predators for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference and just one point back of the sixth spot.

Chicago is an impressive 6-1-2 over its last nine games and is being led by captain Jonathan Toews, who has five goals and 15 assists over his last 13 games. The forward scored twice in regulation and then had the lone shootout tally in a 4-3 triumph over Phoenix on Sunday.

"We've had a lot of similar games," said Toews, who has three goals and five assists over a five-game point streak. "You've got to be confident going into the third period. That's kind of what we told ourselves."

Marian Hossa scored in a third straight game and Corey Crawford made 26 saves through overtime before stopping all three Coyotes skaters in the shootout.

Defenseman Brent Seabrook notched an assist hours after signing a five-year contract extension worth a reported $29 million.

However, blueliner Jordan Hendry left Sunday's game in the third period with an upper-body injury and his status for this game is unknown.

The Wild are also coming off a post-regulation winning, besting the Ducks, 3-2, in overtime on Friday. Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored on a breakaway with 6.3 seconds left in the extra session.

Clayton Stoner and John Madden also scored and Antti Miettinen added three assists for the Wild, who are 3-1-1 in their last five. Jose Theodore stopped 46 shots in the win.

"We're missing a lot of key guys in the lineup, but I think we are playing our best hockey right now," said Bouchard. "Guys are stepping up their game. We're playing good as a team, so that's what we need from everybody."

Mikko Koivu is out with a broken left index finger, while Cam Barker (upper body), Cody Almond (lower body) and Kyle Brodziak (illness) are all questionable.

The Blackhawks have won five of their last seven versus the Wild, including two of three this year. Chicago notched a 3-1 victory in Minnesota back on Oct. 30 and has taken two straight and four of the last six at Xcel Energy Center.