BLUES (48-23-9) at BLACKHAWKS (47-26-7)
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET; FS-MW, CSN-CH, NHL.TV
Season series: The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues have split four games, but Chicago has earned a point in each. The Blackhawks line of Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov and Patrick Kane has five goals and four assists. Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko has three goals and two assists, and forward Robby Fabbri and David Backes have three points each.
Blues team scope: Already dealing with multiple injuries, St. Louis got another scare at practice Wednesday. Goalie Brian Elliott left with an apparent hand injury after taking a shot off the inside of his blocker. The Blues tweeted that Elliott said he is fine and ready to start. He is 0-1-0 with a 4.80 goals-against average and .850 save percentage against the Blackhawks. The Blues are tied for first place in the Central Division with the Dallas Stars, but the Stars hold the tiebreaker with three more regulation/overtime wins. St. Louis is four points ahead of Chicago and must get a point in one of the final two games to avoid being caught. Fabbri (lower body) and defenseman Jay Bouwmeester (upper body) practiced and could play. "It's probably the fourth day in a row where they've looked good, but neither [has] been cleared for play right now," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We'll have to wait on that. I would say we'll know by pregame skate [or] even before pregame skate [in Chicago]." Center Steve Ott, who hasn't played since tearing his hamstrings Dec. 5, has been diagnosed with colitis and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Blackhawks team scope: Chicago's injuries are also piling up. The Blackhawks didn't have forward Marian Hossa (lower body), forward Andrew Shaw (upper body) or goalie Corey Crawford (upper body) in a 6-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday, and lost Anisimov (upper body) in the second period. Anisimov is day-to-day after being sent into the boards headfirst by former Blackhawks center Antoine Vermette. Shaw isn't likely to play, and Hossa, who has 499 NHL goals, is questionable. Chicago needs to win its final two games to catch St. Louis or Dallas, but wants players to heal too, especially Shaw. "With him, the way he plays, we'll make sure he's more than ready if he's going to be playing this week," coach Joel Quenneville said. "There's still a lot of scenarios, some very unlikely, but his situation, that's always our mindset this time of the year. If guys are ready to play, we're going to play them, but in his case let's make sure he's at least at that level." Chicago didn't practice Wednesday. Goalie Scott Darling could make his 11th straight start. The Blackhawks recalled forward Bryan Bickell from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Wednesday and signed University of Michigan forward Tyler Motte to a three-year entry-level contract.
A potent offense has the St. Louis Blues on an impressive roll despite the absence of some key contributors. The exact same thing can be said of the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Central Division rivals are on a potential collision course for a postseason matchup, and that could move closer to reality Thursday night when the teams meet at the United Center.
As the season enters the final few days, there is still plenty left to be determined in the Western Conference. St. Louis (48-23-9) and Dallas are tied for the Central lead and Chicago trails by four points. Finishing as the top seed would give the Blues a first-round matchup with Minnesota, while a second-place finish in the division would send them into a series with the Blackhawks.
''We have a lot at stake right now,'' Blues goaltender Brian Elliott said. ''It's funny how it always comes down to the last games no matter what.''
Outside of Pittsburgh, which has won 13 of 14, no teams appear more formidable right now than St. Louis and Chicago (47-26-7).
The Blues have won seven of eight, averaging 3.75 goals with five in each of the last three games. Kyle Brodziak scored two of their five unanswered in a 5-2 victory over Arizona on Monday.
''I think we just weren't as sharp as we needed to be and sometimes that happens (when) you come home late,'' Brodziak said. ''I thought the energy in the room after the first was really, really good and we got ourselves re-focused.''
Elliott continued his stellar run with 25 saves and improved to 12-1-1 with a 1.74 goals-against average and four shutouts since the All-Star break. He'll need to carry the load in net with backup Jake Allen (lower body) out for the rest of the regular season.
Also sidelined for the final two games is captain David Backes (lower body), second on the team with 21 goals and fourth with 45 points.
St. Louis will get absolutely no sympathy from Chicago, which is currently without goaltender Corey Crawford, forwards Marian Hossa (lower body), Andrew Shaw (upper body) and Artem Anisimov, and star defenseman Duncan Keith (suspension).
Anisimov left in the second period of Tuesday's 6-2 win over the Coyotes after taking a bit hit from Antoine Vermette.
''We'll know more tomorrow, but we'll say day to day, upper body, he should be OK,'' coach Joel Quenneville said.
The loss of Anisimov, who centers a high-scoring line with Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin, would be a big one, but the Blackhawks have managed to win five of six despite those absences. Their offense has somehow been better lately, totaling 17 goals during a three-game win streak with help from a power play that's 6 for 12 after an 0-for-26 drought.
Jonathan Toews has two goals and five assists during a five-game point streak.
"We want to get our game together and play the complete game that we're going to need in the playoffs, but at the same time, it's a lot easier to play at the highest level when the playoffs come around and that motivation's right there in front of your face," Toews said.
Chicago's captain is far from the only Blackhawks player that will take a hot streak into this contest. Panarin has 10 points in his last three games to give him 75 on the season.
Kane, the league leader with 102 points, has five goals and three assists in the team's three-game run
Scott Darling is expected to make his 11th straight start and first against St. Louis. He's 5-1-0 with a 2.67 GAA in the last six.
Elliott has not fared well against Chicago, going 1-3-0 with a 3.32 GAA in his past five starts.
The Blackhawks are 2-0-2 against the Blues this season, losing the last in a six-round shootout March 9 in St. Louis.
