Chicago @ New Jersey preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 23, 2017 ) Chicago 1, New Jersey 4

While Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat are pumping in points on the scoreboard, the Chicago Blackhawks are letting them slip away in the standings. Kane and DeBrincat look to continue their respective torrid stretches on Monday when the Blackhawks open a brief two-game road trip against New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

"We've gotten into tight games and for whatever reason we sit back. The way we were playing the first two periods (on Saturday), that was fun hockey. ... Why stop, no matter what the score?" said Kane, who saw Chicago fail to hold a two-goal lead in a 4-3 overtime setback versus Vegas for its fifth loss in six outings (1-2-3). The 2016 Hart Trophy recipient, who leads the team in goals (25), assists (35) and points (60), recorded his fourth consecutive multi-point performance on Saturday to boost his point streak to five games (three goals, seven assists). While the status of the reigning Hart Trophy winner remains in question due to a lower-body injury, New Jersey improved to 5-4-0 without Taylor Hall by posting a 3-2 win over ice-cold Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. Nico Hischier posted his 20th career multi-point performance with a goal and an assist, lifting his total to 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his last 11 games.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, MSG Plus (New Jersey)

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (16-22-9): DeBrincat tallied twice versus the Golden Knights to give him five of his 23 goals during the last four games and 18 points (13 goals, five assists) in his last 20. "We're doing well. We're passing it around pretty well," the 21-year-old Michigan native told reporters. "Kaner's a threat by himself over there, too. It's tough for the other teams to defend if we're zipping it around and we have a lot of different options to score, so I think we're pretty confident right now and we look to keep going with it." DeBrincat has five of Chicago's 13 power-play goals over the last 12 games, with four being set up on one-timers from Kane.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (17-20-7): While Hischier has the burden of carrying the weight of being a top overall pick in an NHL draft class, the 20-year-old Swiss center told reporters he couldn't imagine the pressure that rookie Mackenzie Blackwood has to endure given his position. "If you make a mistake as a goaltender, it ends up in the back of the net. For me, I have defensemen to help," Hischier said the 22-year-old. Blackwood turned aside 32 shots in his return from injury on Saturday for New Jersey, which may turn back to Keith Kinkaid as he has stopped 102 of 112 shots in three career encounters (1-0-2) versus Chicago.

OVERTIME

1. New Jersey RW Kyle Palmieri (club-best 20 goals) has been held off the scoresheet in four straight contests.

2. Chicago's Erik Gustafsson has set up 11 goals during his eight-game assist streak, which is two contests shy of matching Pierre Pilote (10-game streak, 1961) for the longest by a defenseman in franchise history.

3. The Devils' 21st-ranked power play is mired in an 0-for-18 drought.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 3, Devils 2