Calgary Flames (17-12-2) at Chicago Blackhawks (20-9-1), 8 p.m. (ET)

Calgary Flames (17-12-2) at Chicago Blackhawks (20-9-1), 8 p.m. (ET)

(SportsNetwork.com) - Many folks have been waiting for the Calgary Flames to fall off the pace after their impressive start to the season. Calgary hopes to quiet some of those detractors by avoiding a fifth straight loss when it visits the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

The Flames were expected by some to challenge for the league's worst record in 2014-15 before jumping out to a 17-8-2 start. Calgary has cooled off considerably in December, however, losing four straight in regulation after only dropping two in a row once before this season from Oct. 25-28.

On Sunday, the Flames have an excellent chance to prove their mettle when they take on the Blackhawks, one of the top teams in the West and a conference finalist in last season's playoffs.

Tonight's clash is the third and final regular-season meeting between these clubs. Calgary notched a 2-1 overtime win in Chicago on Oct. 15 before the Blackhawks answered with a 4-3 road win on Nov. 20.

Chicago has won five of the last eight in this series overall, but the Flames have taken two in a row in the Windy City. Calgary had lost 10 in a row at United Center before claiming the past two road encounters against the Blackhawks in overtime.

Calgary hopes to salvage a four-game road trip with a win tonight. The Flames played on back-to-back nights earlier this week in Buffalo and Pittsburgh, losing 4-3 to the Sabres on Thursday before falling 3-1 the next evening against the Penguins.

Pittsburgh was able to defeat the Flames despite playing without captain and star centerman Sidney Crosby, who was sitting due to an illness. Blake Comeau and Kris Letang helped pick up for Crosby's absence, posting early scores to put up all the offense the Pens would need.

Johnny Gaudreau notched the lone goal for the Flames, while Jonas Hiller made just 19 saves in the setback.

"We needed to play more in their zone, get more guys in front of the net and go to the dirty areas," Flames forward Paul Byron said. "It looks like other teams are scoring those goals right in the paint and we're not getting enough of those."

Calgary defenseman Ladislav Smid left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury and did not return. Smid was injured when Pittsburgh defenseman Simon Despres delivered a high check that resulted in the Flames blueliner taking an elbow to the head.

Smid was placed on injured reserve Saturday while defenseman Corey Potter was recalled from the Adirondack Flames of the American Hockey League.

Karri Ramo could get the start in net tonight. He is 1-1-0 with a 3.70 goals against average in his career against Chicago.

The Flames are next in action on Tuesday when they host the New York Rangers at the start of a two-game homestand. Calgary is 9-8-0 on the road this season compared to an 8-4-2 mark as the host.

Chicago will be eager to get back in the win column tonight after having a season-high eight-game winning streak halted Saturday with a 3-2 loss against the New York Islanders.

The Blackhawks grabbed a 2-1 lead with Patrick Kane's goal early in the third period on Long Island. However, Kyle Okposo and Lubomir Visnovsky tallied 51 seconds apart midway through the final stanza to grab the lead for good and cool off Chicago.

"Sometimes maybe you think you're a little bit better than you really are. This is definitely a wake-up call," Kane admitted.

Dan Carcillo also scored for the Blackhawks, while Scott Darling took the loss despite making 38 saves.

Antti Raanta could get the call in net for Chicago tonight. He has a 1-0 record and a 3.98 GAA in just two career appearances versus the Flames.

Chicago owns a 9-3-1 record on home ice and is playing two straight and four of its next five at the United Center. The Blackhawks have won five in a row as the host and haven't lost in the Windy City since falling to Washington on Nov. 7.

Woman dead, 6 displaced after East Chatham blaze

Woman dead, 6 displaced after East Chatham blaze

A woman died in a fire that erupted in a building in the East Chatham neighborhood on the South Side early Sunday morning, officials said.

The blaze started on the third floor of a partially occupied three-story courtyard building around 1:18 a.m. in the 7900 block of South Maryland Avenue, said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Juan Hernandez.

An adult woman, whose exact age was not available immediately, was found dead on the scene, and six other people were displaced as a result of the blaze, fire officials said.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office could not confirm the fatality immediately.

Over 100 firefighters were on the scene battling the fire, which was struck out around 2:30 a.m., said Chicago Fire Department District Chief Tim Sampey on the scene.

He said fire personnel initially had a tough time getting to the source of the blaze.

“The stairwells were inaccessible … due to a heavy fire volume,” Sampey said. “We had to make entry via ladders.”

No other injuries as a result of the fire were reported.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

Women's basketball tipoff: No. 19 MSU vs. Loyola Chicago

Women's basketball tipoff: No. 19 MSU vs. Loyola Chicago

•What: No. 19 Michigan State at Loyola Chicago

•When: 3 p.m., Sunday

•Where: Gentile Arena (Chicago)

•Radio: WJIM 1240-AM

•Series: First meeting

•Coaches: MSU — Suzy Merchant is 369-194 in her 20th season overall and 168-74 in her eighth with the Spartans. Loyola Chicago — Sheryl Swoopes is 13-26 in her second season overall and with the Ramblers.

•MSU update: The Spartans are in the middle of a stretch of four of five games on the road. Sunday's contest against the Ramblers is the second on the road this season and is one of four over the next eight days. This is the the only away contest in MSU's upcoming stretch not against a ranked team. The Spartans are trying to bounce back from a 69-60 loss to then-No. 19-ranked Georgia last Sunday.

•Loyola Chicago update: Swoopes, a three-time WNBA MVP and four-time champion, is one of the most accomplished women's basketball players and is now trying to make her mark as a coach. The lone wins this season for the Ramblers, who play in the Missouri Valley Conference, have been over Northern Kentucky and Eastern Illinois. Loyola Chicago is playing its second straight game against a Big Ten school and shot just 19.4 percent in a 70-33 loss to Northwestern last Sunday. The Ramblers are 3-42 all-time against Big Ten teams.

MATCHUPS

•Backcourts: Jankoska has led the offensive production in MSU's backcourt and is the fourth-leading scorer in the Big Ten. She's still trying to get on track from behind the 3-point arc, where she is 5 of 21 (23.8 percent) over the last two games. Johnson is the main offensive threat for the Ramblers and is coming off a 3 of 16 shooting night against Northwestern. Edge: MSU

•Frontcourts: Loyola Chicago has been without one of its top players in Simone Law, who has missed the last few games with a knee injury. The Ramblers would be better suited to compete against MSU with her in the lineup. Powers, who was named to the Wooden Award preseason watch list Wednesday, fell a rebound short of her seventh double-double of the season in the loss to Georgia. Edge: MSU

•Benches: Senior captain Jasmine Hines is surging for the Spartans and has scored in double figures in three of the last four games. She's averaging 11 points and shooting 61.6 percent (16 of 26) in that stretch. Purdue transfer Taylor Manuel could be eligible to play for Loyola Chicago on Sunday after sitting because of NCAA transfer rules. She would provided a big boost for the Ramblers. Edge: MSU

•Prediction: This contest is the least challenging of MSU's road games this month and it should cruise to a victory over the Ramblers.

» Make it: MSU 75, Loyola Chicago 47.

— Brian Calloway

The White Sox have found an upgrade in left field by agreeing with free agent Melky Cabrera

The White Sox have found an upgrade in left field by agreeing with free agent Melky Cabrera

CHICAGO -- The White Sox have found an upgrade in left field by agreeing with free agent Melky Cabrera, a baseball source confirmed to ESPN.com.

News of the agreement was first reported by Chicago sports talk station WSCR 670-AM.

Cabrera, who was believed to have significant interest from the Seattle Mariners, would take over in left field and continue an impressive string of offseason acquisitions from general manager Rick Hahn.

The 30-year old Cabrera batted .301 with 81 runs scored in 139 games for the Toronto Blue Jays this past season, hitting 16 home runs with 73 RBIs.

The White Sox have not confirmed the signing, which comes days after a trade for pitcher Jeff Samardzija was made official and three days after the signing of reliever David Robertson was announced.

But White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton mentioned Cabrera in a welcome message on Twitter on Saturday night, and Cabrera retweeted the message.

 Multiple media reports suggested the contract, which is pending a physical, would be in the three-year, $42 to $45 million range.

Hahn had indicated after the Robertson signing that money was now tight, but a Cabrera signing would contradict that stance. The White Sox came into the offseason with money to spend after big contracts like those for Jake Peavy, Alex Rios, Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn all have come of the books in the past two years.

Heading into the winter meetings on Monday, the White Sox's biggest needs were with relief help, a right-handed starter and a left fielder. Robertson, Samardzija and Cabrera would provide an answer to all three areas in that order. The White Sox have also acquired left-handed reliever Zach Duke and first baseman/designated hitter Adam LaRoche since the 2014 season ended.

The White Sox appeared to be in the middle of a rebuild that started when Peavy was traded at the 2013 non-waiver trade deadline. But with the additions of Robertson and Cabrera, that timetable now appears accelerated.

Cabrera, a switch-hitter, has a career .286 average, with a .339 on-base percentage over 10 seasons. He was an All-Star in 2012 with the San Francisco Giants but ended that year with a 50-game suspension after a positive test for elevated testosterone levels.

Cabrera is coming off a two-year, $16 million contract with the Blue Jays. He batted .293 with a .340 on-base percentage in 227 games for Toronto.

The White Sox tendered a contract to outfielder Dayan Viciedo earlier this month, but a Cabrera acquisition would make Viciedo nothing more than a backup. Cabrera provides an upgrade over Viciedo defensively.

Principal of boy 15 slain in Englewood doesn't mind Martial Law to deal with violence

Principal of boy 15 slain in Englewood doesn't mind Martial Law to deal with violence

A 15-year-old boy who was fatally shot during an attempted robbery Saturday afternoon in the Englewood neighborhood was walking with his twin brother and was only days away from his birthday, according to his school principal.

The boy, Demario Bailey, was shot in the chest after the offenders tried to rob the boy at about 12:40 p.m. in the 0-100 block of West 63rd Street, police said.

Several "persons of interest" are in custody in the shooting, said Chicago Police Spokesman Thomas Sweeney.

Bailey of the 7500 block of South Michigan Avenue, was pronounced dead at 12:47 p.m. on the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The boy was a 10th grade student at Johnson College Prep, according to his Principal Garland Thomas-McDavid.

In a statement, Thomas-McDavid said the boy has an identical twin who was with him when the shooting happened.

Thomas-McDavid said his twin brother plays varsity basketball and called Demario his biggest fan who regularly accompanied his brother to practices and games at the charter school.


"In addition to mourning this loss, [his brother] will also be forced to live with the horrible memory of watching his brother be murdered in front of him," said Thomas-McDavid.

She said the latest killing showed the need for something to be done to keep children safe on the streets.

"I know I speak for every educator who continuously deals with this type of tragedy in saying we are sick and tired of being sick and tired. The apologies are not enough, and after all the fanfare is over, someone still has to put their baby in the ground," she said in the statement.

She called for increased levels of security so people do not have to live with the "constant threat of being killed."

She said as educators, she and others are in the field to provide a "brighter future" and not to deal with children being "victimized over and over again."

"I believe I speak for every mother who lives on the South Side of this city in saying we don’t mind if it takes [Martial] Law to get this in order. Demario did not deserve to die three days from his sixteenth birthday," according to the statement.

She said Johnson College Prep is working to create a link where people may provide financial help for the family.

Support services for students and staff will be available at school tomorrow.

Seeds, water just two secrets to attracting birds this winter

Seeds, water just two secrets to attracting birds this winter

The birds you feed in your back yard need more than seeds to make it through the winter. They also need spas.

Actually, they need open water to drink and keep their feathers in shape. And one way you can help is with heated birdbaths. Bird spas, er baths, are just one product we found that you might want to add to your backyard aviary this winter.

"Birds go crazy for water in the winter time when the air is dry," said Ron Zick, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited on Rand Road in Arlington Heights and Waukegan Road in Glenview.

He sings the praises of the birdbaths and heaters made by Allied Precision Industries in Elburn. Heated birdbaths that clamp on your deck railing, then tilt to be cleaned are in Zick's stores and on his Web site arlingtonheights.wbu.com starting at under $50.

"You don't have to worry about the element," said Zick. "If it runs out of water it just keeps the plastic at about 50 degrees. It doesn't burn out if you're away or a raccoon tips it over at night."

If you're happy with your existing birdbath, API also makes drop-in heaters, starting at about the same price range. And Greg Fecteau of Chalet on Lake Avenue in Wilmette prefers the Heated Rock Birdbath De-icer from Farm Innovators. It looks like stone rather than a coil and costs $55.

Pretty seeds

Even bird seed doesn't have to be boring. Fecteau recommends holiday seed blocks from Mr. Bird in shapes like wreaths, snowmen and Santa. They come with a variety of seeds to attract different birds and price tags from $9 to $50 at Chalet.

While we're talking holidays, if you are looking for a gift for your favorite birders, Fecteau recommends barn wood birdhouses made by Nature Creations in central Illinois. Their prices are from $40 to $150 at Chalet (chaletnursery.com).

Easy feed

Some of Zick's customers have moved into communities where they learn to their disappointment they are not allowed to put out bird feeders or they don't have storage space for birdseed. His solution for them is Bark Butter, a yummy mixture of suet, peanut butter and corn. As you might guess, you can smear a few tablespoons on a tree, and the woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees fly in for the high-calorie snack. It's good for migrating birds in the spring and fall, too, he said. A tub is on sale for $10.

He also sells seed cylinders that can be hung without a feeder. The 2 pounds of seeds are held together with gel. These are $12.

Flowers

And soon (OK, it won't seem soon) you will be planting new flowers in your garden. So why not select ones that will provide seeds during future winters for our feathered friends. Brian Wolff, Chalet's nursery manager, likes Firebird, a new compact red coneflower.

He also recommends other new varieties of plants: Autumn Revolution bittersweet produces twice the fruit of the species; Viking Black chokeberry with red fall foliage that contrasts with the black fruit; and Raspberry Tart viburnum, a dwarf with great fall color.

Camera

Here's something that won't do a thing for the birds, but could enhance your appreciation of the hobby. Yes, it's a candid camera for birds. The Audubon BirdCam costs $159, and you can learn where to buy it at wingscapes.com. It's a weather-protected digital camera you hang so it's pointed at your feeder or bath, and a motion sensor takes pictures when you're not there. It can also be set to operate at specific time intervals or with a 30-foot remote control cord. This new product is almost $100 less than another Wingscapes has been selling.

Here are a few birding facts and tips from Ron Zick, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Arlington Heights and Glenview.

•It should be a great winter for bird watching. The cooler summer provided a lot of natural food and shelter for birds, and the populations have recovered nicely from the West Nile epidemic and are in good condition going into the winter.

•Birds that stay all winter are the seed eaters - cardinals, finches, blue jays, chickadees and nuthatch's. It's the insect and berry eaters who have to move on to warmer climes.

•If cats roam through your yard, keep your feeders as high as you can and away from low-lying vegetation where the felines can hide. You want the birds to be able to see 360 degrees while they are eating.

•Another adorable problem is squirrels. There are baffles that keep squirrels off feeders and feeders guaranteed to be squirrel proof. Some people just set up separate feeding stations for the bushy tails.

Celebrate National Candy Corn Day with candy corn cordials

Celebrate National Candy Corn Day with candy corn cordials

I love candy corn. I've been known to munch on it in the middle of July. So you can bet I'll be marking National Candy Corn Day on Friday, Oct. 30.

This sugary treat was invented in the 1880s and this year more than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced. That's nearly 9 billion pieces (no, I didn't count, I'm trusting the folks at the National Confectioners Association), If laid end to end, the candies could circle the moon four times.

If you want to celebrate, this month's issue of Food Network Magazine has a decidedly adult way to do so: With candy corn cordials.

First, find a jar with an airtight lid; combine 1/2 cup candy corn with 11/2 cups vodka; cover and set aside. After 3 hours strain out and the discard the solids.

To make the drinks, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add 4 ounces infused vodka, 2 ounces orange liqueur, juice from half a lemon and 1 large egg white.

Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds, then strain into 2 chilled martini glasses. Garnish with fresh candy corn.

No tricks, just treats: So maybe candy corn's not your thing. Maybe you sneak Almond Joys from your kids' Halloween buckets.

According to the candy association, four in 10 consumers admit they plan to sneak treats from the candy bowl. And nearly one third of adults will pocket at least a handful of goodies for themselves on Halloween night.

Chocolate continues to be the traditional favorite for tossing into the loot bags, followed by hard candy and lollipops, chewy or gummy candy, chewing or bubble gum and caramel treats.

No tricks, just treats, part 2: Kids can spend part of Halloween learning how to make their own chocolate treats with pastry chef John Zydowicz of Upper Crust Bakery in Lisle and Downers Grove.

Kids 5 and older (those younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult) will learn about various types of chocolate, how to temper chocolate and how to create chocolate bowls, chocolate truffles and other cocoa treats.

This Cooking with the Best Chefs class runs 10 a.m. to noon at Ivy Restaurant, 120 Hale St., Wheaton or from 2 to 4 p.m. at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, 798 W. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights. Class costs $35 for children and adults; join Cooking with the Best Chefs and get a $10 per person discount. Register at BestChefs.com or (630) 359-4600.

Leftover redux: Besides making flavored vodka with candy corn, there are other ways to use up your candy surplus.

Wisebread.com suggests stirring candies into baked treats: wrap biscuit dough around Tootsie Rolls, crush peanut butter cups into cookies, chop fun-sized chocolates into brownies, stir chopped candy corn into candied yams, stick Peppermint Patties in the bottom of your coffee cup.

For more creative ideas, like using Red Hots in barbecue sauce and making a candy garland for your Christmas tree, head to Wisebread.com.

- Deborah Pankey

• Contact Food Editor Deborah Pankey at food@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4524. Listen to her discuss food and restaurant trends on Restaurant Radio Chicago, 5 to 6 p.m. Saturdays on WIND 560 AM.