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Something has to give.
The Blackhawks and Capitals both enter Sunday’s matinee matchup at the United Center on losing streaks. Chicago has dropped five straight, while Washington’s skid is at four games after a 2-0 home loss to the Islanders and former coach Barry Trotz in his return to D.C after winning the Stanley Cup last June.
Coach Jeremy Colliton shook up the Blackhawks lineup during Saturday’s morning skate, looking for a spark for his last-place team. Drake Caggiula and Patrick Kane moved up to the top line with center Jonathan Toews, while Alex DeBrincat and Dominik Kahun shift to the second line with Dylan Strome. David Kampf will center the third line with Brandon Saad and Marcus Kruger as Artem Anisimov is in the middle for the fourth line with John Hayden and Chris Kunitz.
Defenseman Gustav Forsling (upper torso), who was placed on injured reserve Jan. 9, joined the team for practice while paired with rookie Henri Jokiharju, who will be a healthy scratch.
Collin Delia will start in net.
The Capitals are led by Alex Ovechkin with 33 goals and 52 points in 47 games. Nicklas Backstrom is right behind him with 46 points in as many games.
Braden Holtby will be back in net after missing two games with an eye injury he suffered Jan. 12, when he was poked with a stick. He’s 17-11-2 with a 2.82 GAA and .912 save percentage in 31 outings.
Chicago fell 4-2 to the Capitals on Nov. 21 in the nation’s capital. Washington took a 3-0 lead before Saad and Erik Gustafsson scored to make it a one-goal game then Devante Smith-Pelly netted the game-winner in the final frame.
Projected Lineups
Blackhawks
Caggiula — Toews — Kane
DeBrincat — Strome — Kahun
Saad — Kampf — Kruger
Keith — Seabrook
Dahlstrom — Murphy
Koekkoek — Gustafsson
Delia
Ward
Capitals
Ovechkin — Backstrom — Oshie
Vrana — Eller — Wilson
Burakovsky — Kuznetsov — Connolly
Stephenson — Dowd — Smith-Pelly
Orlov — Carlson
Kempny — Niskanen
Orpik — Bowey
Holtby
Copley
How to Watch
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Where: United Center, Chicago
TV: NBC