Colorado @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 30, 2019 ) Chicago 3, Colorado 7

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in a home-and-home series as part of a recently concluded nine-game point streak. The Avalanche aim to get back on track in Chicago on Wednesday before ending a three-game, four-day stint by hosting the Blackhawks on Saturday.

Nathan MacKinnon set up a goal in Colorado's 5-2 setback to St. Louis on Monday, boosting his point streak to five games (two goals, five assists) and giving the former top overall pick 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in his past 18 games. The latter total includes two sterling performances versus Chicago, against which MacKinnon collected a goal and three assists in the Avalanche's 5-2 win on Nov. 29 before he scored a goal and set up two others the following night in a 7-3 victory. Patrick Kane scored a goal in both contests and extended his team-leading total to 18 after notching his sixth career regular-season hat trick in the Blackhawks' 5-4 triumph over Minnesota on Sunday. "Yeah, it was nice to get one," Kane said of his hat trick. "You get two early on, you think maybe you have a chance at one. Obviously it came a little bit later in the game, but it's a huge fourth goal for us and I was able to finish it off with an empty net."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVAS

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (21-9-3): Mikko Rantanen didn't take long to get back in the swing of things, returning from a 16-game injury absence to record a season-high four-point performance (one goal, three assists) in a 7-3 romp over Chicago on Nov. 30. The 23-year-old Finn has dented the scoresheet in six of his last eight contests (four goals, six assists) to look every bit the electric player he was during his career season in 2018-19. Captain Gabriel Landeskog missed the previous meetings with the Blackhawks while dealing with a lower-body injury, but he has three goals in six games in his return.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (13-15-6): Two-time Norris Trophy recipient Duncan Keith sustained a groin injury versus Colorado on Nov. 29, and he hopes to return in the rematch against the Avalanche. "I'm feeling good," the 36-year-old Keith said. "It's weird sitting out like that and forced to watch but been rehabbing and feeling good and better and better every day." Brandon Saad has been feeling better after a tough start to December, answering six straight games without a point by scoring three goals in his last two.

OVERTIME

1. Chicago captain Jonathan Toews had an assist in each game versus Colorado to ignite a stretch of 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in his last 10 contests.

2. The Avalanche own a 4-0-1 record in their last five meetings with the Blackhawks.

3. Chicago G Corey Crawford surrendered seven goals on 38 shots in two appearances against Colorado last month.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 5, Blackhawks 2