NEWSLETTER
After a very disappointing effort against the short-staffed Predators last night, the Blackhawks turn around and head to Dallas to take on the Stars for game two on back-to-back nights. Luckily for the Blackhawks, the Stars are also coming in on night two of back-to-back games. Chicago has alternated wins and losses over their last 14 games, with a 7-6-1 record over that span. Dallas comes into tonight’s game with a three-point cushion over the Blackhawks in the Central Division standings, but have lost their last five games in-a-row, all in regulation, scoring just seven goals over that span.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, ESPN+ (Out-of-market)
Radio: WGN 720 AM, TUDN 1200 AM (Spanish)
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (11-15-3)
DeBrincat – Strome – Kane
Hagel – Toews – Kurashev
Kubalík- Dach – Entwistle
Connolly – Slavin – Carpenter
McCabe – S. Jones
C. Jones – Murphy
Stillman – Gustafsson
Lankinen
Stars (13-12-2)
Robertson – Hintz – Pavelsk
Peterson – Benn – Seguin
Raffl – Faksa – Radulov
Tufte – Glendening – Gurianov
Suter – Klingberg
Lindell – Hakanpaa
Harley – Sekera
Oettinger
Injury Report
Blackhawks:
Jujhar Khaira (IR – Concussion Protocol)
Tyler Johnson (Three Months – Neck Surgery)
Henrik Borgström (Day-to-Day – Non-COVID Illness)
Calvin de Haan (Day-to-Day – Non-COVID Illness)
Reese Johnson (IR – Broken Clavicle)
Stars:
Joel Kiviranta (Day-to-Day – Upper Body)
Miro Heiskanen (Day-to-Day – non-COVID Illness)
What To Watch For
• Today is Alex DeBrincat’s 24th Birthday. It would be awesome if he scored a goal or three on his birthday. Last season, DeBrincat owned the Stars, recording seven goals and nine points in eight games. He had four multi-point games against Dallas last season.
• Jonathan Toews and Dominik Kubalík are pacing the Blackhawks currently, with Toews on a four-game point-streak and Kubalík with points in his last three games. Toews scored the game-tying goal last night, his third goal in his last four games after going without a goal in his first 25 to begin the year.
• Kevin Lankinen gets the start tonight for the second of back-to-back games for the Blackhawks. Lankinen won four of five starts last season against the Stars. He is 2-5-2 this season with a .882 save-percentage and a 3.39 GAA.
Get Caught Up
Kevin Lankinen will start tonight vs. Dallas.
Kurtis Gabriel is out. Brett Connolly is back in. Otherwise same lineup. #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 18, 2021
Rick Bowness said Jake Oettinger is in net tonight. The hope is that Miro Heiskanen can return to the lineup after missing last game with a non-COVID illness. He will be a game time decision, and there will be one more undisclosed game time decision.
— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) December 18, 2021
NHL Shuts Down Bruins and Predators Through Christmashttps://t.co/KDYUAEoSHR
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) December 18, 2021
Ian Mitchell recalled by the #Blackhawks
He will be in Dallas tonight. #IceHogs were in Cedar Park, TX last night in a win over the Texas Stars— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 18, 2021
Happy 24th Birthday to the Cat! #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/dYe8c35Oa6
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) December 18, 2021
