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Get your game notes: Blackhawks at Blues

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Tonight on NBCSN, it’s the St. Louis Blues hosting the Chicago Blackhawks starting at 8 p.m. ET. Following are some game notes, as compiled by the NHL on NBC research team:

-- The defending Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks open the playoffs on the road at St. Louis. Chicago is 1-6-1 in their last 8 away games. Going for their 3rd Cup in the last 5 seasons (2009-2010, 2012-2013), the Blackhawks are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Detroit Red Wings accomplished the feat in the 1996-‘97 & 1997-’98 seasons.

-- The Blues come in having lost six straight games (all in regulation) with their last win coming on April 3rd at home against Buffalo. This is the longest such drought for St. Louis since they dropped 7 straight from Dec. 26, 2009-Jan. 7, 2010 (0-5-2) and the franchise’s longest point drought since a 7-game stretch from Jan. 4-17, 2006. The Blues have been outscored 22-5 during the six-game losing streak.

-- Ryan Miller was acquired by St. Louis in a deal with the Buffalo Sabres on February 28:

First 8 Games: 7-0-1 record, 1.61 GAA, .933 SV%.

At least one point in each of first eight starts (franchise record)

Last 11 Games: 3-8-0, 3.13, .883, 9 of 11 games against playoff teams

*Last 5 Games: 0-5-0, 3.82 GAA, .856 SV% (3+ goals allowed in each game)

-- This series is a matchup of the career wins leaders among active coaches, Chicago’s Joel Quenneville (first, 706) and St. Louis’ Ken Hitchcock (second, 657). Quenneville and Hitchcock are two of the elite group of 12 coaches with at least 600 career wins.

-- This will be the 11th postseason meeting between the Blues & Blackhawks and the first since a 2001-2002 first-round series in which the then Quenneville led Blues won in 5 games (outscoring CHI 13-5). Quenneville is St. Louis’ all-time winningest coach (307 wins, 1997-2004) and the second-winningest coach in Blackhawks history (268 wins, 2008-present).

-- Chicago has won 7 of the 10 playoff series overall but St. Louis won the two most recent (1992-1993 being the other, 4-0 series sweep).

-- St. Louis won 3 of 5 meetings this season (two in shootouts), including both home meetings, but lost the two most recent matchups, including the last time meeting on April 6th by a score of 4-2.

-- The Blues established a new franchise record with 52 wins on the season, passing the 51-mark set by the 1999-2000 team (coached by Quenneville) – that won the franchise’s only Presidents’ Trophy at 114 pts.

-- St. Louis & Chicago gained 63 & 61 pts. respectively in their first 41 games – Anaheim (61 pts.) was the only other team to reach the 60-point mark in the first half of the season. The Blues & Blackhawks each finished the regular season 10-9-1 in their final 20 games.

-- Chicago finished 2nd in goals/gm. (3.18); St. Louis finished 3rd in goals allowed/gm. (2.29). The ‘Hawks have 5 players who tallied 60+ points this season (t-1st in NHL: Patrick Sharp–78, Patrick Kane–69, Jonathan Toews–68, Duncan Keith–61, Marian Hossa–60), the Blues have 2 (Alexander Steen–62, T.J. Oshie–60).

-- Chicago & St. Louis have been without key players of late, Vladimir Tarasenko (STL, 21-22—43 pts., hand surgery, out since Mar. 17) & Patrick Kane (CHI, 29-40—69 pts., leg injury, out since Mar. 21).