Blackhawks vs. Oilers game preview 2017: Darling likely to start as Chicago goes for 5th straight win
Darling is 12-5-2 with a 2.31 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage this season.
Scott Darling will likely start for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night at Rogers Place.
Darling’s last appearance between the pipes was a 5-3 loss to Winnipeg on Jan. 26 at home. The Lemont, Ill. native struggled lately to record a victory, winning just two of his last five starts. He has produced a respectable 2.31 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage and a 12-5-2 record overall.
The Hawks (34-17-5) are riding a four-game win streak after defeating the Jets, 5-2, for the first time this season Friday. The Hawks now have 73 points, just five points behind the first place Minnesota Wild.
In head-to-head matchups, the Hawks lead Edmonton (72-66-12), but trail on the road (32-38-5). The only other meeting between these teams this season was a 5-0 shutout loss in late November at Rogers Place.
Edmonton sits in third in the Pacific Division with 66 points and a (29-18-8) record. Cam Talbot will start in net for the Oilers. Talbot has been a major reason why Edmonton is in the playoff hunt this season, as he holds the eighth best goals-against average with more than 40 games played (2.32). He also holds a .921 save percentage, along with a 27-15-7 record.
The Oilers are led offensively by some kid named Connor McDavid, who is currently tied with Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby for the league lead in points at 60. McDavid has 18 goals and 42 assists this season.
For more on the Edmonton Oilers, visit SB Nation’s Copper & Blue.
Lineups
Blackhawks
Forwards
Schmaltz-Toews-Panik
Panarin-Anisimov-Kane
Rasmussen-Kruger-Hossa
Hinostroza-Kero-Hartman
Defensemen
Keith-Hjalmarsson
Kempny-Seabrook
Campbell-van Riemsdyk
Goalie
Darling
Oilers
Forwards
Maroon-McDavid-Leon
Lucic-Nugent-Hopkins-Eberle
Pouliot-Caggiula-Slepyshev
Lander-Letestu-Kassian
Defensemen
Sekera-Benning
Klefbom-Larsson
Davidson-Oesterle
Goalie
Talbot
*Lines will be updated if necessary
How to Watch Blackhawks at Oilers
Time: 9 p.m. CST
Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
TV: WGN
