Let me know if I should keep doing this or not …

Well, it’s the regular season and that means  Joe Thornton may actually be visible on the ice tonight. And unless you’ve been preoccupied with your plot to murder Nick Boynton, you know that Jonathan Toews won’t be suiting up for a couple weeks.

So, before the Blackhawks take on the Sharks for the third time this season after dropping the first two at The Tank, let’s breakdown the matchup with some statistics from the recent regular season history between the two teams.

THE FACTS

The BLACKHAWKS are …

… 20-15-3 (2nd, Central)
… 12-9-0 at home
… 6-4-1 in December
… 6-3-1 in their last 10 (Lost 1)
… 6-2-1 against the Pacific Division
… 16-7-2 when scoring first
… 16-3-1 when leading after 2nd period

The SHARKS are …

… 19-13-5 (3rd, Pacific)
… 9-8-2 on the road
… 8-5-1 in December
… 5-4-1 in their last 10 (Lost 2)
… 5-4-1 against the Central Division
… 13-2-3 when scoring first
… 15-2-2 when leading after 2nd period

THE MATCHUP

POWER PLAY: Blackhawks, 24.6% (1st) ; Sharks, 23.1% (6th)
PENALTY KILL: Blackhawks 79.0% (26th) ; Sharks 82.3% (13th)

» The Blackhawks are 0-for-20 on the power play in the last 7 vs. the Sharks
» The Sharks are 7-0-2 in their last 9 visits to the United Center

Click the jump for more STATS


» Marty Turco is 24-15-1 with 4 ties and a 2.30 GAA and 4 shutouts career vs. SJ
» Antero Niittymaki is 1-1-0 with a 3.00 GAA career vs. CHI
» Antti Niemi has won both starts vs. the Blackhawks this season

» Joe Thornton has 39 points (10 G, 29 A) in 32 career games vs. CHI
» Marian Hossa has 21 points (14 G, 7 A) in 19 career games vs. SJ

WHEN THEY SCORE

Against the Sharks all-time, the BLACKHAWKS are …

… 1-2-1 when Patrick Sharp scores
… 1-2-0 when Patrick Kane scores
… 1-0-1 when Duncan Keith scores
… 2-0-0 when Troy Brouwer scores
… 1-1-0 when Marian Hossa scores

Against the Blackhawks all-time, the SHARKS are …

… 6-0-1 when Joe Thornton scores
… 1-0-0 when Ryan Clowe scores
… 2-0-1 when Dany Heatley scores
… 11-1-2-1 when Patrick Marleau scores
… 2-1-1 when Joe Pavelski scores

DID YOU KNOW?

» Logan Couture leads all rookies with 18 goals ; Bryan Bickell is 4th with 10
» The Blackhawks have given up 45 third-period goals, most in the NHL

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