[7:00 PM] Stars @ Blackhawks

Who will WIN this matchup?

Dallas Stars (11-12-6)

@ Chicago Blackhawks (17-8-4)

 

Starting Goalies:

Kari Lehtonen (DAL): Unconfirmed

Scott Darling (CHI): Confirmed

 

• The durable Seabrook missed his third regular-season game since 2012-13 on Friday – a 1-0 overtime loss to the New York Rangers that left Chicago 4-3-2 in its last nine contests starting with a 2-1 loss in San Jose on Nov. 23 when Toews suffered his upper-body injury. Crawford underwent an emergency appendectomy Dec. 3 in Philadelphia and began off-ice workouts this week.

• The Stars blew a late lead and lost in Philadelphia 4-2 on Saturday afternoon after the Flyers scored three goals in the final 3:48, falling to 1-4-2 in their last seven road games. The Blackhawks won the first two of five meetings this season 3-2 on Nov. 5 and 4-3 in overtime on Nov. 6 with Chicago’s Patrick Kane scoring in each game and adding an assist.

• The top line of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza, which combined for eight points in Thursday’s 5-2 victory over Nashville in their first game together, was shut out Saturday. Defenseman Johnny Oduya (lower-body injury) missed his 10th straight game, but is expected to play Sunday. Jiri Hudler was activated from injured reserve after missing 23 games because of a mysterious virus and was scratched Saturday, but is expected to play Sunday.

• Chicago received another scare when Kane (team bests of 27 points and 19 assists) briefly left Friday’s game after a rough ride into the boards, but wound up playing nearly 20 minutes. Scott Darling is filling in admirably for Crawford, going 1-2-1 with a .950 save percentage and 1.52 goals-against average, and with no back-to-backs on the horizon should start them all until Crawford returns. The Blackhawks own the worst penalty-killing unit in the NHL at 72.1 percent but are starting to turn the corner by extinguishing 16-of-19 chances over the the last eight games.

• The Stars are 4-8-4 on the road with two of the wins coming on back-to-back nights in Calgary and Edmonton one month ago this weekend.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Chicago Blackhawks

Confidence: 5/10

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