Dustin Byfuglien News

The Chicago Blackhawks is hoping captain Jonathan Toews, seen during an October team practice, will return for its series of home games.

Ryan Smyth #94 and Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrate a goal as Sami Lepisto #18 of the Phoenix Coyotes skates by on November 2, 2009 at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

It wasn't a done deal after practice Sunday, but Jonathan Toews and Ben Eager are poised to return to the Blackhawks' lineup for the game tonight against the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center.

Don't look now, but with points in each of their last seven games, the Leafs, dare I say, are hot.

Chris Stewart scored in the eighth round of the shootout, helping the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche remain unbeaten at home with a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.

A year ago, Derick Brassard was the leading contender for Rookie of the Year with 10 goals and 15 assists in 31 games, when he dislocated his right shoulder in December and was lost for the season for the Columbus Blue Jackets .

Pekka Rinne made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season and fifth overall, and Joel Ward scored on a second-period power play in the Nashville Predators' 2-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

As a brief two-game road trip concludes, a pair of back-to-back matchups begin when the Canadiens pay a visit to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.

Before last year, then- Chicago Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon gave Dustin Byfuglien a three-year, $9 million contract that raised a few eyebrows.

I guess if you play the same team three times in 15 days, they have a pretty good chance to figure out an effective game plan.

The Blackhawks are the early-season leaders in the Central Division. A couple of games against the Predators has a little something to do with that.

A shot by Dustin Byfuglien gets past Nashville goalie Dan Ellis for the first goal of the game.

Chicago's Cristobal Huet was able to get on track last time out versus a team that has struggled to score goals all season.

Center Jonathan Toews and defenseman Brent Seabrook played in all 82 regular-season games last season and were big reasons the Hawks amassed 104 points and advanced to the Western Conference finals.

Cristobal Huet made 27 saves for his first shutout of the season, and Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd scored on rebounds 56 seconds apart in the second period in the Chicago Blackhawks' 2-0 win over Nashville on Saturday night.

Vancouver Canucks' Michael Grabner shoots on Chicago Blackhawks' Antti Niemi and Duncan Keith during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Chicago October 21, 2009.

2. Niklas Hjalmarsson: Hawks' kid defenseman played 21 minutes, had an assist and helped set up 2 other goals by teammates.

The red-hot Chicago Blackhawks will shoot for a fifth consecutive victory when they host the Dallas Stars tonight at United Center.

Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers at the United Center, 7:30 p.m. TV: Comcast SportsNet Radio: WGN 720-AM What to watch: The Hawks are expecting to face former teammate Nikolai Khabibulin for the fist time since he left as a free agent.

On Saturday night, the red-hot Chicago Blackhawks were cooled off by their own goalie.