Blackhawks 5 - 4 Senators
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Blackhawks try to get back on track in Ottawa

Oct 30, 2014 - 3:00 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Chicago Blackhawks have hit a rough patch early in the season, but they hope their recent success against the Ottawa Senators can get them back in the win column.

The Blackhawks will try to avoid losing for the fourth time in five games when they visit the Senators for Thursday's clash at Canadian Tire Centre.

Chicago has lost three of its last four games, but the one win during that stretch came Sunday against a visiting Ottawa club. The Blackhawks posted a 2-1 victory behind a stellar NHL debut from goaltender Scott Darling, who stopped 32-of-33 shots.

It was the fourth win for Chicago in its last five meetings against the Sens, who only have two wins over the past nine encounters. Ottawa has won two of the last three matchups on its home ice.

Darling played well again for the Blackhawks on Tuesday, stopping 24 shots in a 1-0 home loss against the Anaheim Ducks. Chicago fired 38 shots on net without a scoring a goal on Ducks goaltender John Gibson. Although it marked the first time Chicago was shut out this season, the Blackhawks were held to two goals or less for the fourth straight game.

Chicago failed to score on three chances with the man advantage Tuesday, and Anaheim's goal came short-handed in the third period.

"It's never fun to get shut out at home but we'll move past this one ... and try and have that breakthrough we're looking for offensively," said Chicago captain Jonathan Toews.

While goaltending has not been a problem for the 'Hawks lately, the club could get a boost tonight from the possible return of No. 1 netminder Corey Crawford. The 29-year-old Crawford has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury, but he practiced Wednesday and could see his first action since Oct. 18 against Nashville.

Crawford is 2-0 with a 1.91 goals against average in two career games against the Senators.

Ottawa will try to record a second straight win after halting a two-game slide with Tuesday's 5-2 road victory at Columbus. Clarke MacArthur scored two goals and assisted on another to help the Sens record their fifth win in eight games to begin the season.

Erik Karlsson netted the eventual game-winner early in the third period for Ottawa, which scored three unanswered goals in the third period to cruise to the win.

"It's definitely nice to win this one when we played the way we did. We stuck to it, executed when we had to and stepped up when we needed to step up," said Karlsson.

Zack Smith and Alex Chiasson also lit that lamp to complement a solid 36-save effort from Robin Lehner.

Craig Anderson is expected to start tonight in net for Ottawa. Anderson, a former Blackhawk goaltender, is 5-2-2 with a 3.24 GAA in nine career games against his old club.






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