Blackhawks - Blue Jackets

The Chicago Blackhawks hope to continue their recent success over the Columbus Blue Jackets as they try to remain in the Western Conference playoff race.

The Blackhawks look for a third consecutive road victory over the struggling Blue Jackets as the teams meet Wednesday night.

Chicago (36-32-8) rallied for a 4-3 overtime victory at home over St. Louis on Sunday to keep its playoff hopes alive. The Blackhawks, 3-1-1 since losing four in a row, are six points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West with six games remaining.

On Sunday, James Wisniewski tied the game with 55 seconds left in regulation, then assisted on Patrick Kane’s winner for the Blackhawks, who haven’t been to the playoffs since 2002.

“They know what it takes to win, to battle,” Chicago coach Denis Savard said. “Whether we get there (the playoffs) or not, they’ll prove a lot of people wrong.”

Two of Chicago’s six games will be against Columbus (33-32-11), which has lost three straight contests and is three points behind the Blackhawks.

Though the teams have each won three games in the season series, Chicago has dominated in the two most recent contests between the teams—both in Columbus— outscoring the Blue Jackets 13-5.

Kane, who also added an assist Sunday for Chicago, has two goals and an assist in the last two games versus the Blue Jackets. Kane has 47 assists, and his next one will give him the team’s rookie single-season record.

Fellow rookie Dustin Byfuglien, who also had a goal Sunday, has three of his four goals against the Blue Jackets in the teams’ last two meetings.