Blackhawks, Stars to face off for first time this season

Blackhawks and Stars face off for the first time this season Thursday at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Chicago has struggled on the road with a 4-12-2 mark, and they haven’t won away from the United Center since a 5-4 overtime victory Nov. 24 at Florida. It’s another glaring sore spot in a forgettable season.

The Blackhawks enter Thursday’s game after a 2-1 home win over Nashville on Tuesday. Cam Ward made 30 saves in his first start filling in as Chicago’s No. 1 netminder for Corey Crawford, who suffered his second concussion in less than a year Sunday. Defensemen Gustav Forsling and Erik Gustafsson both scored.

Chicago lost forward Marcus Kruger to a concussion in the second period of the game, and recalled forward Luke Johnson from the AHL. Johnson has four goals and seven points in 10 AHL games this season.

The Stars swept the four-game season series during the 2017-18 campaign, and snapped their four-game losing streak with a 2-0 shutout against Calgary.

Dallas has dominated at home with a 11-3-1 mark, and will see defenseman John Klingberg return to the lineup for the first time since Nov. 8. Klingberg missed 18 games with a hand injury.

Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn lead the Stars in scoring with 31 and 27 points, respectively. Benn has a team-high 14 goals while Seguin and Alexander Radulov each have 10 goals.

Projected lines

Blackhawks

Saad — Toews — Kahun

Strome — Anisimov — Kane

DeBrincat — Kampf — Sikura

Hayden — Johnson — Perlini

Keith — Gustafsson

Forsling — Seabrook

Dahlstrom — Murphy

Ward

Delia

Stars

Benn — Seguin — Gurianov

Nichushkin — Shore — Radulov

Faksa — Hanzal — Pitlick

Janmark — Dickinson — Comeau

Lindell — Klingberg

Heiskanen — Polak

Bayreuther — Fedun

Bishop

Khudobin

How to Watch

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas

TV: NBC Sports Chicago