Eight games at home this season, eight games with at least a point.

The Chicago Blackhawks put that streak on the line tonight against the hot Boston Bruins, who have been vaulting up the Eastern Conference standings lately.

It'll be no easy to task for the Hawks' to preserve their unbeaten-at-home-in-regulation streak.  Only the Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks share that stat of the 30 NHL teams at this point in the season.

And goals have come easy as of late, with the Hawks rattling off two consecutive six-goal games, but they likely won't come easy tonight.

Boston's Tim Thomas should get the nod in net, after his back-up Manny Fernandez played in the team's last game this past weekend in Buffalo, a 3-1 Bruins win.  Thomas leads all NHL goalies in goals against average (1.85) and save percentage (.944).

As usual, you might as well flip a coin on whether Nikolai Khabibulin or Cristobal Huet will start for the Hawks.  But in fairness to Chicago, more and more lately, it is starting to use the goaltender carousel as a major asset.

Boston has won three straight and currently sits fifth in the East with an 8-3-3 record and 19 points.  Chicago is winners of four straight at 7-3-3 with 17 points.

One of these Original 6 teams is going to have a streak snapped.  Chicago could have two, as it looks to defend its home ice success.

Expect another sold out crowd for tonight's tilt, which will begin with a Keith Magnuson/Pierre Pilote Retirement Ceremony.  Random Fact: My paternal grandfather used to play hockey with Pilote in Fort Erie, Ontario in the late 1940's/early 1950's before he made it big and to the NHL.  They were only five months apart in age and lived in Buffalo, N.Y. in the early 50's.  My little piece to history, as Pilote of course went on to a spectacular career with the Hawks.

I say Blackhawks 4, Bruins 3 in a shootout.

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