Preview - Flames @ Blackhawks

FLAMES (1-4-1) VS. BLACKHAWKS (3-3-0)
BROADCAST:6:30 PM MT; Sportsnet (TV), Sportsnet 960 The FAN (radio)
SEASON SERIES:Monday's clash is the first of three meetings between the Flames and the Blackhawks this year, with all three games coming within the next month. The Flames will be back in Chicago next week, taking on the Blackhawks on Nov. 1 and then wrapping up the series on Nov. 18 in Calgary. In 2015-16, the Flames went 1-2-0 against the Blackhawks. Johnny Gaudreau led Calgary in scoring against Chicago with one goal and three points in three games. Patrick Kane led the Blackhawks in last year's season series with one goal and four points against the Flames.

FLAMES TEAM SCOPE: The Flames are looking to reset after a 6-4 setback to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary has a 1-4-1 record to start the season and view this two-game road trip as an opportunity to reboot as a group. "We're just focused right now on getting this thing stopped. Getting our heels dug in. We're not trying to pull back on the tug-of-war rope right now. Just get it stopped. We talked this morning about how we stop it and we have to execute that in Chicago," head coach Glen Gulutzan said on Sunday. The Flames have not announced their lineup for Monday's game at the United Center but the team did run with the same lines and pairings they used against the Blues during practice on Sunday. Brian Elliott worked in the starter's net on Sunday but Gulutzan noted he had not made a final decision on his goaltender vs. Chicago.
BLACKHAWKS TEAM SCOPE: The Blackhawks are .500 through their opening six games of the year and are even in goal differential, scoring 22 goals and allowing 22 -- an average of 3.67 goals for per game and goals against per game. Their power play has been potent to start the year, operating at a 20.8 percent clip but they have struggled short-handed. Sitting at 42.9 percent, their penalty kill is ranked 30th in the NHL. "We know that we can play a good penalty kill. We've done it before, so we have to hit the reset button and just bear down, find a way to get it done. It's losing us games right now," Niklas Hjalmarsson told ChicagoBlackhawks.com.