Chicago @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 22, 2019 ) Colorado 5, Chicago 3

The Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks continue to pursue a Western Conference wild-card spot when they begin a home-and-home series Saturday afternoon in Denver, but the health of one of the Avalanche's top players is of immediate concern. Mikko Rantanen left Thursday's 3-1 victory at Dallas midway through the third period with an undisclosed injury after he was checked hard into the boards near the players' benches.

The all-star forward, who has validated his breakout 2017-18 season with career highs of 31 goals and 87 points, did not practice Friday but was seen walking around at the practice facility. Colorado is one point behind Minnesota for the final wild-card spot - tied with Arizona and four in front of Chicago and Vancouver - and is riding a hot goaltender in Philipp Grubauer. The 27-year-old German appears to have supplanted Semyon Varlamov as the No. 1 goalie after allowing two goals during the Avalanche's three-game winning streak and going 4-1-0 with a .974 save percentage and two shutouts in his last five contests. The Blackhawks, who host Colorado on Sunday and have at least a game in hand on all clubs involved in the wild-card chase, lost two straight at home to teams out of playoff position - 3-2 in overtime to the Canucks on Monday and 3-1 to Philadelphia on Thursday.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, NBCS Chicago, Altitude (Colorado)

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (32-31-10): Corey Crawford is 5-1-1 with a .945 save percentage and 12 goals allowed in his last seven games but his late push might not be enough to get the club over the top. "I'm aware of the standings, I'm aware we need points, but it's how we play that matters," coach Jeremy Colliton told reporters. "That's where we're at." Patrick Kane boasts 41 goals and 101 points - both third in the league - but has slowed down in March with one goal and six assists in nine games.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (33-29-12): Tyson Barrie recorded his 300th point and tied Sandis Ozolinsh for the club record for goals by a defenseman with 72 after scoring Thursday for the fourth time in three games. "It's hard to really put a finger on anything," Barrie, who has 11 goals and 52 points this season, told reporters. "It's just one of those things that you need to take it when you get it." Nathan MacKinnon (club highs of 37 goals, 91 points) recorded a season-high nine shots on goal Thursday but was kept off the scoresheet for the second straight contest as he remains two goals and six points shy of the career standards he set in 2017-18.

OVERTIME

1. Colorado is 4-2-0 since captain Gabriel Landeskog (33 goals) went down with an upper-body injury.

2. Chicago is 1-for-21 on the power play in its last nine games and allowed a short-handed goal during that span.

3. The road team has won the first three of five meetings this season with the Avalanche prevailing in the last encounter 5-3 on Feb. 22 behind two goals apiece from Fs Carl Soderberg and J.T. Compher.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 3, Avalanche 2