Stars at Blackhawks
After coming up short against a nemesis on the road, the Chicago Blackhawks return home with a chance to extend a winning streak against another division rival. The Blackhawks will host the Dallas Stars on Thursday in the first leg of a home-and-home series, looking to earn their sixth consecutive victory in the series.
The Stars won the Central Division in 2015-16 and Chicago succeeded them the following season, each with a Western Conferece-best 109 points. Their success against one another was pivotal in each team's run to a division title -- the Blackhawks won all five meetings last season, while Dallas captured four of five the previous campaign. Currently tied for third place in the Central, Chicago and the Stars enter Thursday's matchup playing some of their best hockey. Chicago was on a 4-0-1 run before dropping a 3-2 decision at Nashvile while the Stars have won four of five after snapping Vegas' eight-game home winning streak with a 3-0 victory.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Anaheim), NBCSN Chicago
ABOUT THE STARS (13-10-1): One game after Tyler Seguin registered a hat trick, Radek Faksa duplicated the feat -- albeit in more dramatic fashion -- at Vegas, scoring all of the team's goals in the second period, including two eight seconds apart. "I am very happy for the goals. I get very emotional when I score. But the most important thing is the team win," Faksa said. "I am glad we had a greasy win on the road. We needed it." Goaltender Ben Bishop registered his second shutout, both coming in the last eight games.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (12-9-3): Fresh off his first career hat trick in a 7-3 rout of Anaheim on Monday, rookie Alex DeBrincat collected an assist in Tuesday's loss to give him seven goals and 11 points over his last four games. Corey Crawford, who was rested in Tuesday's loss at Nashville, is 4-0-1 in his last five starts and won all three appearances against Dallas last season while allowing a combined seven goals. Chicago is not lacking for chances, producing at least 35 shots on goal in 12 of its last 14 games.
OVERTIME
1. Despite Tuesday's shutout, Bishop's goals-against average is two higher on the road (3.62) than at home (1.61).
2. Blackhawks F Patrick Kane, who had a seven-game point streak halted Tuesday, has 23 goals and 50 points in 40 games versus Dallas.
3. Dallas is 1-for-23 on the power play over the past seven games.