The Blackhawks will try to avoid being swept by the Kings in the season series Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Chicago has dropped the first two games in the season series, 2-1 in a shootout Nov. 16 at the United Center, and 6-3 on March 2 at the Staples Center.
The Blackhawks managed to grab two points in a 5-4 win over the Sharks on Thursday behind two goals from Alex DeBrincat, who hit the 40-goal mark in just his second season. Jonathan Toews scored his 33rd this season and tied his career-high for points in a season with 76. He scored a career-high 34 goals during the 2008-09 campaign.
Chicago still has dreams of a playoff spot, but those dreams are fading fast after Colorado defeated Arizona, 3-2 in a shootout Friday. Chicago is now seven points back of the Avalanche with five regular-season games to play. Arizona (82) and Minnesota (81) are also ahead of the Blackhawks in the playoff chase.
Corey Crawford is expected to be between the pipes. He’s 14-18-3 with a 2.94 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.
Drake Caggiula will return after missing more than a month with a concussion and slot in for Brendan Perlini, while Carl Dahlstrom replaces Slater Koekkoek on the blue line.
The Kings, who have already been eliminated from playoff contention, have lost two straight games to the Oilers and Canucks.
Anze Kopitar paces Los Angeles in scoring with 56 points (21 goals, 35 assists) in 76 games. Dustin Brown is tied with Kopitar for the team lead in goals, while defenseman Drew Doughty has a team-high 36 assists. Brown has two goals and four assists in his last five games.
Jonathan Quick will be in net. He’s 15-22-7 with a 3.31 GAA and .890 save percentage.
Projected Lineups
Blackhawks
Saad — Toews — Sikura
DeBrincat — Strome — Kahun
Cagguila — Anisimov — Kane
Kunitz — Kampf — Kruger
Keith — Gustafsson
Forsling — Seabrook
Dahlstrom — Murphy
Crawford
Ward
Kings
Iafallo — Kopitar — Brown
Grundstrom — Kempe — Toffoli
Clifford — Carter — Lewis
Wagner — Amadio — Brodzinski
Forbort — Doughty
Martinez — Roy
Walker — Phaneuf
Quick
Campbell
How to Watch
When: 9:30 p.m. Saturday
Location: Staples Center Center, Los Angeles
TV: NBC Sports Chicago