Sharp set to return as surging Blackhawks visit Devils

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Chicago Blackhawks will some additional help when they try to extend their longest winning streak of the season.

Forward Patrick Sharp is expected to return to the Blackhawks' lineup on Tuesday night as the club aims to extend a six-game win streak in a matchup with the New Jersey Devils.

Sharp has missed each of Chicago's past 14 games with a lower-body injury suffered on Nov. 4 versus Montreal. He has three goals and six assists in 13 games after logging 34 goals and a career-high 78 points in 82 games last season.

The hard part for Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville is figuring out where to slot Sharp in the lineup given how well his team has played as of late. During Monday's practice, Quenneville shifted Sharp to the right wing and had him play on a line with Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw.

"It gives us some options and helps our power play. It's good to get him back playing as well," said Quenneville of Sharp's return.

Even without the services of Sharp, the Blackhawks have won six straight for the first time since Nov. 21-30 of last year and picked up their ninth win in 10 tries with Saturday's 3-1 decision over the Nashville Predators.

Marian Hossa scored twice and Brandon Saad had a goal and an assist, while Scott Darling made 32 saves in his fourth career start.

With the win, the Blackhawks sit second in the Central Division, one point ahead of Nashville and one back of St. Louis.

"We're excited that we've put ourselves in the spot we were hoping to be after 20 games, but we shouldn't be satisfied," Quenneville said. "We should be looking to improve off of these levels, which will make us a good team."

Chicago plays the second of four straight on the road and will try to win seven straight for the first time since April 6-19, 2013.

Darling is expected to get another start tonight and is 3-1-0 on the season with a 1.73 goals against average and .943 save percentage.

The Devils return home following last night's 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, a game that featured another great performance by the ageless Jaromir Jagr.

The 42-year-old tallied a goal and an assist, passing Marcel Dionne for sole possession of fifth place on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,772. The Czech superstar also became the 15th player to skate in his 1,500th career game and his goal was the 710th of his career.

"This is all special," Devils head coach Pete DeBoer said of Jagr. "You might not ever see this again."

Adam Henrique netted the game-winning goal and Cory Schneider was spectacular, stopping 39-of-40 shots fired his way for the Devils, who entered the game with losses in six of their last seven games. Scott Gomez supplied his first two assists of the season.

New Jersey picked up the win despite forwards Mike Cammalleri (muscle injury), Patrik Elias (groin) and Travis Zajac (lower body/illness), as well as defenseman Adam Larsson (flu), not making the trip to Carolina.

Schneider, meanwhile, started for the 27th time in New Jersey's 28 games this season and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him go again tonight. He is 2-2-1 with a 3.44 GAA and .901 save percentage in six lifetime meetings with Chicago, including five starts.

Backup Scott Clemmensen has faced Chicago only once and was blitzed for six goals on 32 shots on Dec. 8, 2013 in a loss with Florida.

The Devils lost both of their meetings with the Blackhawks last season and Chicago has won five of the last seven encounters.