Preview: Stars at Blackhawks

STARS (11-12-6) at BLACKHAWKS (17-8-4)
7 p.m. ET; CSN-CH, FS-SW, NHL.TV

Stars team scope

The Dallas Stars could get defenseman Johnny Oduya and forward Jiri Hudler back for the finale of a back-to-back set that began with a 4-2 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Hudler has been sidelined with a virus since Nov. 1 and Oduya (lower body) has been out since Nov. 21. "It takes time to get going," Hudler told the Dallas Morning News on Saturday. "It's a cliché, but you've got to get into game shape, and the way you get into game shape is playing games. I think I am in pretty good shape, cardio-wise, and the strength is back, but we'll find out when I get into a game." The Stars, who are 4-8-4 on the road, didn't hold a morning skate. Former Chicago Blackhawks goalie Antti Niemi is expected to start. Defenseman Dan Hamhuis needs one more game for 900 played in his NHL career.

Blackhawks team scope

Forward Jonathan Toews and defenseman Brent Seabrook were on the ice for the Blackhawks' optional morning skate but neither will play. Toews hasn't played since Nov. 23 and hadn't skated since Dec. 4. He will miss his ninth straight game with a reported back injury. "That's always a tough thing when you feel like you're getting close and all of a sudden you get back on the ice and you realize you're still a ways off from being ready to play in a game," said Toews, who didn't rule out traveling with the Blackhawks for a three-game road trip this week. Seabrook, who returned to practice Saturday, will miss his second game with an upper-body injury and had missed 10 games combined in the past 10 seasons. "I don't like doing this," Seabrook said. "I haven't done it a lot over my career, so it's new to me and something that's weird, but with that being said, I've got to take precautions and make sure I'm ready to go before I get back out there." Goalie Scott Darling will make his fifth straight start for Corey Crawford, who is recovering from an appendectomy. The Blackhawks are 1-2-1 in their past four games after going 5-2-1 in their previous eight. Assistant coach Kevin Dineen will be on the bench for the game. Dineen's father, former NHL player Bill Dineen, died Saturday at the age of 84.

Stars projected lineup

Jamie Benn -- Tyler Seguin -- Jason Spezza
Antoine Roussel -- Radek Faksa -- Brett Ritchie
Lauri Korpikoski -- Cody Eaken -- Adam Cracknell
Jiri Hudler -- Devon Shore -- Patrick Eaves
Esa Lindell -- John Klingberg
Johnny Oduya -- Stephen Johns
Dan Hamhuis -- Jordie Benn
Antti Niemi
Kari Lehtonen
Scratched: Patrik Nemeth, Curtis McKenzie
Injured:Mattias Janmark (knee), Ales Hemsky (hip), Patrick Sharp (concussion-like symptoms), Julius Honka (upper body)
Suspended:Jamie Oleksiak

Blackhawks projected lineup

Artemi Panarin -- Artem Anisimov -- Patrick Kane
Ryan Hartman -- Marcus Kruger -- Marian Hossa
Tyler Motte -- Dennis Rasmussen -- Richard Panik
Andrew Desjardins -- Vinnie Hinostroza -- Jordin Tootoo
Duncan Keith -- Niklas Hjalmarsson
Brian Campbell -- Trevor van Riemsdyk
Gustav Forsling -- Michal Rozsival
Scott Darling
Lars Johansson
Scratched:Michal Kempny
Injured:Jonathan Toews (upper body), Corey Crawford (appendectomy), Brent Seabrook (upper body)

Status report

Sharp, who will miss his fifth straight game, is working out in Dallas and continuing to go through concussion protocols. Oleksiak is suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of Philadelphia Flyers forward Chris VandeVelde on Saturday. ... Seabrook and Toews were the last to leave the ice after the Blackhawks' optional skate. Assistant coach Mike Kitchen put them through a series of skating and shooting drills. Kempny will likely be scratched for the third straight game.

Who's hot

Seguin has three goals four assists and seven points in his past seven games. ... Darling has stopped 88 of 91 shots in his past three games, a .967 save percentage.