CHICAGO -- The St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks each are looking forward to the end of a tough grind in their schedule heading into their game at United Center on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVA Sports, FS-MW, WGN).

Outside of morning skates, each team has practiced once in January and conducted but a handful of off-day practices since the Christmas break. Prior to puck drop on the third installment of their season series, they're tied for the most games played in the NHL to date (51).

"We're so fortunate we've got good veteran players that can carry the day without practicing, but we've got a list that's three pages long of things that we want to work on," St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said after the morning skate. "I'm sure Chicago does [too], but you can't work on it. You've got to decide whether you're going to have energy or structure with no energy. So, we've opted for energy, just as the Hawks have. So, you just kind of close your eyes and hope like heck you've got better energy at the end of the day."

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks, who are looking to extend their season-high winning streak to 11 games, get rookie defenseman Erik Gustafsson back against the Montreal Canadiens at United Center on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; SN, WGN, RDS).

Gustafsson, who participated in Chicago's morning skate, missed the past two games with a right knee injury sustained during the 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

"I dumped the puck and I got pushed from behind," said Gustafsson, who wasn't able to finish a morning skate prior to Chicago's 2-1 win at Montreal on Thursday. "It brought my knee right into the boards first. I didn't feel like I could play against Montreal there. It was good to sit down. It feels good out there now and [I'm] playing tonight."

CHICAGO -- If the Chicago Blackhawks extend their winning streak to eight games with a win against the Nashville Predators at United Center on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNP, FS-TN, CSN-CH+), they will help coach Joel Quenneville tie Al Arbour for second all-time in NHL regular-season wins with 782.

Earlier Tuesday, the Blackhawks (27-13-4) announced Quenneville had signed a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2019-20 season.

"We like what we have here and we want to keep it going," Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said. "Joel's played a big role in where we are and we're looking for that to continue."

Quenneville, who was hired as Blackhawks coach Oct. 16, 2008, said he also is excited. In eight seasons he's coached Chicago to Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013 and 2015, and hopes more are on the way.

"[It's been a] great beginning, but [it's] a tremendous group to work with, knowing your leaders have that type of character you hope to have on your team," Quenneville said. "They send the right message and you couldn't ask for a better situation to be in as a coach."

CHICAGO -- Backed by goalie Semyon Varlamov, the Colorado Avalanche will try to end the Chicago Blackhawks' season-high six-game winning streak at United Center on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; ALT, WGN).

The streak includes Chicago's 4-3 overtime win against the Avalanche at Pepsi Center on Dec. 31, when the Blackhawks ended Varlamov's eight-game winning streak against them.

Varlamov is 11-3-1 with a 1.93 goals-against average, .946 save percentage and three shutouts in 16 career appearances against the Blackhawks.

"It was certainly nice to beat him," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said after Chicago's morning skate. "Some of the games when we played against them, he had unbelievable games and the chances were high in our favor, and we just couldn't get them [past him]."

CHICAGO -- Coach Dan Bylsma said he knows his Buffalo Sabres will have more than Patrick Kane to worry about when trying to slow the Chicago Blackhawks' dominant second line Friday at United Center (8:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG-B, BELL TV, CSN-CH).

Left wing Artemi Panarin leads NHL rookies in goals (15), assists (23) and points (38). He led the Blackhawks to a home-and-home sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday and Wednesday, scoring two goals in each game.

Panarin's skill adds to a line that features Kane, the League's leading scorer with 60 points, and 6-foot-4 center Artem Anisimov, who has three goals and an assist in the past five games.

"I think [Blackhawks general manager] Stan Bowman has done a really good job insulating [Panarin]," Bylsma said. "Anisimov on his line ... I think that's been a huge part of his assimilation on this team and to be playing in the National Hockey League. And then to be accented with the skill Patrick Kane is bringing? I mean, right now that line looks like they've played together forever."

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks are looking to sweep a home-and-home set against the Pittsburgh Penguins at United Center on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVA Sports).

Neither team held a morning skate, so the starting goalies haven't been confirmed.

Following Chicago's 3-2 overtime win at Consol Energy Center on Tuesday, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville didn't rule out the idea of coming back with goalie Corey Crawford, who made 34 saves.

"We'll see," Quenneville told the Blackhawks website. "We'll consider all avenues."

Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 27 saves Tuesday, has started the past two games in net for Pittsburgh after sitting out eight games with a concussion.

CHICAGO -- Goalie Craig Anderson will start for the Ottawa Senators against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Sunday (7 p.m.; NHLN-US, TVAS, SN, CSN-CH).

It will be the 12th career start against the Blackhawks for Anderson, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, Ill., and was drafted by the Blackhawks with the 73rd pick in the 2001 NHL Draft. Anderson is 6-2-3 with a 3.25 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 11 career starts against Chicago.

"The fact he's a [heck] of an NHL goalie is the biggest factor going into it," Senators coach Dave Cameron said after the morning skate Sunday.

Anderson allowed seven goals on 37 shots in his previous start, a 7-3 loss at the Boston Bruins on Dec. 29.

CHICAGO -- Forward Marian Hossa will play for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Carolina Hurricanes at United Center on Sunday.

Hossa missed the Blackhawks' past two games with an upper-body injury, but said the four days off during the Christmas break helped him recover enough to play.

"It was nice break for my upper-body injury," Hossa said after participating in the morning skate. "Obviously, we had the nice break, a couple extra days definitely helped settle it down. Now, I just tested it on the ice and it felt great.

"It happened in a game, one thing," Hossa said. "Basically, it got worse in Buffalo, and after the game it was smarter to not play. Just take the break and make sure I get it back [feeling] normal."

CHICAGO -- San Jose Sharks forward Ben Smith will return from an upper-body injury against his former team, but forward Joel Ward will not play against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; CSN-CA, CSN-CH).

Smith, who started his career with the Blackhawks, has missed 22 games because of a concussion. Forward Barclay Goodrow was reassigned the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League on Sunday and Smith was activated from injured reserve.

"It's been quite a couple months here, so to get here and hear [Andrew Shaw] down [the hall] playing soccer, it's pretty funny," Smith said. "To get back, especially here, the timing is funny. It's definitely an exciting night for me."

Ward is out with an undisclosed injury stemming from a hit by Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki that resulted in a boarding penalty late in the Shark's 4-2 loss on Friday.

CHICAGO -- The Edmonton Oilers don't have Patrick Kane's point streak to worry about, but they'll still be cognizant of Kane as they face the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET; SNOL, CSN-CH).

Kane's streak ended at 26 games in the Blackhawks' 3-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, only the third contest this season he didn't finish with at least a point.

"He can just start a new [streak] again, so it's going to be tough," Oilers left wing Taylor Hall said after Edmonton's morning skate. "It was incredible to watch, as a hockey fan. You love seeing that stuff in the game. He's a player I have a lot of respect for. He plays hard, but he plays with a ton of skill and a ton of flair, so it [was] fun to watch."