Preview: Senators at Blackhawks

SENATORS (18-11-3) at BLACKHAWKS (22-8-4)
8:30 p.m. ET; CSN-CH, RDS2, TSN5, NHL.TV

Senators team scope

Goaltender Mike Condon will start for the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, and Matt O'Connor will be the backup. O'Connor, 24, was recalled from Binghamton of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis after Andrew Hammond injured his ankle in a 6-2 win at the New York Islanders on Sunday. "It's not a long-term thing," coach Guy Boucher said after the morning skate. "[Hammond] should be fine in the next [few] days, but we'll do everything we need to do, the X-rays and everything, and make sure. But right now it doesn't look like it's anything significant." The Senators are seeking their third straight win and will get left wing Mike Hoffman back from a two-game suspension after he cross-checked San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture last Wednesday in a 4-3 shootout loss. Hoffman will re-enter the lineup on the third line, as opposed to his previous spot on the top line. "I don't really control where I am in the lineup," Hoffman said. "I just go out there and play on whatever line I'm on. I'm happy to be a part of it, and I'll just try to play my game."

Blackhawks team scope

The Chicago Blackhawks are looking to extend their winning streak to six games and will not have center Artem Anisimov for a second game in a row. Anisimov didn't participate in the morning skate and is day to day with an upper-body injury. Goaltender Scott Darling will make his 10th straight start. No. 1 goaltender Corey Crawford continues to recover from an appendectomy he had on Dec. 3. Darling is 6-2-1 with a 1.90 goals-against average and .938 save percentage since Crawford's surgery. Crawford, who took shots during the morning skate, has been on the ice five straight days and expects to return against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. "I feel good," Crawford said. "It's good to be back on the ice and seeing shots again. I've got to get some practice in first and get the timing back, but we'll try and shoot for Friday." Forward Artemi Panarin, named NHL First Star for the week ending Dec. 18 on Monday, has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) on a five-game point streak. "He's so dangerous every single time he plays," coach Joel Quenneville said. "Can't say enough positive things about how dangerous he is. He's fun to watch."

Senators projected lineup

Zack Smith -- Derick Brassard -- Mark Stone
Ryan Dzingel -- Kyle Turris -- Bobby Ryan
Mike Hoffman -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Tom Pyatt
Chris Kelly -- Curtis Lazar -- Chris Neil
Marc Methot -- Erik Karlsson
Dion Phaneuf -- Cody Ceci
Mark Borowiecki -- Chris Wideman
Mike Condon
Matt O'Connor
Scratched:Fredrik Claesson
Injured:Andrew Hammond (ankle), Clarke MacArthur (concussion)
Personal leave:Craig Anderson

Blackhawks projected lineup

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

Status report

Kempny is expected to be a healthy scratch for the third game in a row and seventh time in the past eight. … The Senators re-assigned defenseman Ben Harpur and right wing Casey Bailey to Binghamton on Monday.

Who's hot

Kane (two goals, two assists) and Keith (one goal, three assists) each have three-game point streaks for the Blackhawks. … Smith has five points (three goals, two assists) in the past two games. … Stone has six points (one goal, five assists) on a three-game point streak. … Ryan has four points (three goals, one assist) on a four-game point streak.