Blackhawks look to break slump against Connor McDavid-less Oilers

The Blackhawks will try to end a three-game winless streak when they visit the Oilers on Tuesday night in Edmonton.

Chicago (25-22-8) is coming off a 5-2 loss against the Jets on Sunday as the Blackhawks started their five-game road trip through Western Canada. The loss followed back-to-back overtime defeats for the Blackhawks, who fell 3-2 to the Wild on Feb. 4 in Minnesota and 2-1 to the Bruins the next day in Chicago.

Blackhawks rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist and forward Alex Nylander will return to the lineup, while defenseman Nick Seeler and forward Dylan Strome will be healthy scratches. Boqvist missed the game Sunday due to precautionary reasons for a right shoulder injury. Chicago head coach Jeremy Colliton said he wanted to see more from Strome.

As the Blackhawks to stay in a playoff race they’ll face the Oilers (29-20-6) without their biggest star in Connor McDavid, who will be out 2-3 weeks with a quad injury. The center practiced Monday before leaving early. He was injured during a 3-2 win against the Predators on Feb. 8 when he went into the boards after being checked by Nashville defenseman Dante Fabbro in the second period, iced the knee between period and played 5:47 in the third.

McDavid has 81 points (30 goals, 51 assists) in 55 games this season for the Oilers, who are in second place in the Pacific Division, three points behind the first-place Canucks.

The Oilers, however, are clicking with an 8-3-1 record in their past 12 games. They’ll lean on Leon Draisaitl even more with McDavid out. Draisaitl leads Edmonton with 85 points (31 goals, 54 assists) in 55 games this season.

Mike Smith, who is 7-0-2 in his past nine starts, will start in net against Chicago.

Series history

Chicago has won two straight against Edmonton, including a 3-1 victory Oct. 14 at home. Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad and Alex Nylander each scored a goal, and Corey Crawford made 27 saves.

Tale of the tape

Blackhawks — Statistic — Oilers

48.1% (26th) — Corsi For — 48.2% (23rd)

46.56% (28th) — Expected goals for — 48.8% (20th)

2.91 (20th) — Goals per game — 3.16 (t-12th)

3.07 (t-18th) — Goals against per game — 3.11 (t-20th)

49.7% (t-16th) — Faceoffs — 48.8% (t-24th)

15% (28th) — Power play — 29.3% (1st)

83% (7th) — Penalty kill — 83.2% (5th)

Projected lineups

Blackhawks

Kubalik — Toews — Caggiula

Saad — Dach — Kane

DeBrincat — Kampf — Nylander

Smith — Carpenter — Highmore

Keith — Boqvist

Gustafsson — Murphy

Maatta — Koekkoek

Lehner

Crawford

Oilers

Nugent Hopkins — Draisaitl — Yamamoto

Gagner — Haas — Chiasson

Archibald — Sheahan — Kassian

Khaira — Cave — Russell

Klefbom — Larsson

Nurse — Bear

Jones — Benning

Smith

Koskinen

How to watch

When: 8 p.m.

Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton

TV: NBC Sports Chicago+

Live stream: NBC Sports app, NHL.TV