Blue Jackets  3    Blackhawks  4

Columbus Blue Jackets (13-9-4) at Chicago Blackhawks (16-6-3), 10 p.m.

Sports Network | December 1, 2009

(Sports Network) - With their longest losing streak of the season behind them, the Blue Jackets will go for a second straight win when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks tonight in a Central Division showdown at United Center.

Tonight is also the first home game for Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa, who has two goals in three games since returning from offseason shoulder surgery. Hossa was signed to a 12-year, $62.8 million contract and the home crowd in Chicago will be eager to catch a glimpse of the Slovakian sniper in his highly-anticipated United Center debut.

This if the first of six scheduled meetings this year between the Jackets and the first-place Blackhawks. The clubs split the six encounters in 2008-09 and Chicago has come out on top six times over the last 10 matchups. However, Columbus has won its last two tilts in the Windy City after dropping its previous two tests at United Center.

Columbus had lost five straight overall before getting back in the win column with a decisive victory on Monday night against visiting St. Louis. R.J. Umberger posted his second career hat trick, including the game-winning goal early in the third period, and added an assist to lift the Blue Jackets to the 5-2 victory at Nationwide Arena.

Kris Russell added a goal and an assist and Steve Mason stopped 27 shots to end a personal four-game losing streak.

Columbus did lose a player to injury in Monday's win as defenseman Rostislav Klesla left the game after hurting his left leg in a collision with Blues defenseman Barret Jackman. Klesla is questionable for this evening's contest.

The Blue Jackets are just 6-7-1 as the visiting team this year and will try to halt a four-game road losing streak tonight. Columbus' last road victory came when Mason helped down the Stars almost two weeks ago.

The Blackhawks, meanwhile, will try to avoid having their losing streak extended to a season-high three games when they take the ice tonight.

Chicago lost the last two tests on a six-game road trip after beginning the swing with four consecutive wins. It marked the second time this year that the Blackhawks have dropped back-to-back games, but the club hasn't suffered three straight setbacks since a five-game slide from March 13-20.

The Blackhawks were able to pick up a point their last time out when they dropped a shootout decision Saturday in Los Angeles. Anze Kopitar scored the game-winning goal in the first round of the deciding segment to lift the Kings to the 2-1 win at Staples Center.

Jonathan Toews lit the lamp for the Blackhawks, while Cristobal Huet turned aside 21-of-22 shots in defeat.

"I thought it was a real good road trip. We got nine out of 12 points in six tough buildings. At the beginning of it, you would have taken that," said Chicago coach Joel Quenneville.

The Blackhawks are in Chicago for a two-game homestand and will play eight of 10 games at United Center to begin December. Chicago, which will host Nashville on Friday, is 10-2-1 at home this season.