The Chicago Blackhawks host the Dallas Stars on Sunday night at the United Center in the final leg of a four-game home stand.
Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook will not play tonight for Chicago. Toews is recovering from a back injury, and has not seen any ice time since Nov. 23 Seabrook is still recovering from an upper body injury suffered against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night.
The four-game home stand in the United Center has been a roller coaster for Chicago. After their loss to the Winnipeg Jets last week Sunday, Scott Darling and the Hawks shutout the Coyotes, 4-0. Darling would continue his tremendous play Friday night against the New York Rangers, but the Hawks fell in overtime in a goaltenders’ battle. In his last four games, Darling has allowed only six goals despite seeing an average of 30 shots per game. His presence in net has been critical as Corey Crawford continues to recover from his appendectomy.
Chicago (17-8-4) will look to take advantage of the Dallas defense, as the Stars have surrendered the most goals in the NHL this season. Dallas has dropped five games in their last seven starts, including a recent loss to Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. The Stars has struggled on the penalty kill in the last few games, allowing four goals in eleven penalty kill attempts (three against the Flyers). Dallas (11-12-6) currently owns the fourth worst penalty kill percentage at 76.7 percent.
Speaking of penalty kill, Chicago continues to improve its penalty kill statistics after a rough start to the season. The Hawks have successfully killed off 16 of their last 19 penalties. Where they have struggled on special teams is their power play conversion. Chicago has only scored on one of its last seventeen power play attempts, with a conversion percentage of 16.1 percent this season (19th in the league). With the line of Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov, and Patrick Kane playing strong offensively the last few games, the Hawks will look to put pucks in the back of the net. The Stars have allowed 19 power play goals on the road, the most in the NHL.
Sunday’s meeting against Dallas will be the third of five this season. Chicago has won the first two games against the Stars, winning both games of a home and home series in early November.
For more on the Dallas Stars, check out SB Nation’s Defending Big D.
Lineups
Blackhawks
Forwards
Artemi Panarin – Artem Anisimov – Patrick Kane
Ryan Hartman – Marcus Kruger – Marian Hossa
Tyler Motte – Dennis Rasumussen – Richard Panik
Andrew Desjardins – Vinnie Hinostroza – Jordin Tootoo
Defensemen
Duncan Keith – Niklas Hjalmarsson
Brian Campbell – Trevor van Riemsdyk
Gustav Forsling – Michal Rozsival
Goalie
Scott Darling
Stars
Forwards
Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Jason Spezza
Antoine Roussel – Radek Faksa – Brett Ritchie
Lauri Korpikoski – Cody Eakin – Patrick Eaves
Curtis McKenzie – Devin Shore – Adam Cracknell
Defensemen
Esa Lindell – John Klingberg
Dan Hamhuis – Stephen Johns
Jamie Oleksiak – Jordie Benn
Goalie
Kari Lehtonen
How to watch Stars at Blackhawks
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Where: United Center
TV: CSN Chicago
Live stream: CSNChicago.com