The Blackhawks have won six of their last eight home games, reversing a trend from earlier this season, but they'll have their hands full tonight with the Nashville Predators, who have won both meetings between the two teams so far this year -- on Oct. 13, Joel Ward scored a power-play goal with 26.7 seconds left in the third period as the Predators won 3-2 at the United Center, and on Nov. 13 Cal O'Reilly scored the only goal of a shootout for a 4-3 win in Nashville.
The Hawks are still suffering from injuries -- after today's morning skate coach Joel Quenneville said Viktor Stalberg won't play tonight; the team is hoping the break over the Christmas holiday will have him ready to go next week. The same is the case for the injured Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane. Kane skated solo and Hossa with the team this morning, but neither will be ready to go until next week.
Corey Crawford, whose 10-6-1 record includes solid efforts in victories in his last two games, gets the start in goal tonight.
Tonight's game begins at 7:30 p.m. CST and will be televised on CSN Chicago.