Preview: Canucks at Blackhawks

CANUCKS (22-19-6) AT BLACKHAWKS (29-14-5)
7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, WGN, NHL.TV

Canucks team scope

The Vancouver Canucks have won two straight games and hope to improve on the road (5-13-3) in their first of two trips to Chicago this season. Ryan Miller, who had stopped 64 of 65 shots in the past two games, will make his third straight start. Miller is 7-0-2 and has allowed 14 goals in the past nine games. He needs one win to tie Rogie Vachon for 19th on the NHL's all-time list with 355. Bo Horvat will play after being struck in the head with a slap shot in a 2-1 win against the Florida Panthers on Friday. Horvat has stitches but doesn't have other lingering effects. "It's sore to touch and put the helmet on right now," Horvat said after the morning skate at United Center. "But we've been working on getting a little bit bigger helmet, if that's possible for my head, and giving my head a little more room in there to maneuver. It's a little tender, but I'm ready to go for tonight."

Blackhawks team scope

Corey Crawford will start for the Chicago Blackhawks after backing up Scott Darling in a 1-0 win at the Boston Bruins on Friday. Coach Joel Quenneville considered starting Darling after his second shutout of the season, but will give Crawford another opportunity to regain his top form. Crawford is 5-4-1 with a 3.09 goals-against average and .903 save percentage since returning from a 10-game absence Dec. 23 after having an appendectomy. He has 199 career NHL wins. "[Starting Darling] was definitely something we wanted to think [about]," Quenneville said after the morning skate. "At the same time, we want [Crawford] playing as much as he can to get back to that great pace he had prior to him being away. He hasn't been bad, but certainly that's what we're looking for him to get back to." The Blackhawks have won their past two games and are 6-2-0 in their past eight. Chicago is 17-5-4 at home.

Canucks projected lineup

Daniel Sedin -- Henrik Sedin -- Loui Eriksson
Sven Baertschi -- Bo Horvat -- Alexandre Burrows
Markus Granlund -- Brandon Sutter -- Jayson Megna
Brendan Gaunce -- Michael Chaput -- Jack Skille
Alexander Edler -- Troy Stecher
Luca Sbisa -- Chris Tanev
Nikita Tryamkin -- Alex Biega
Ryan Miller
Jacob Markstrom
Scratched:Jordan Subban, Reid Boucher
Injured:Anton Rodin (knee), Ben Hutton (hand), Jannik Hansen (knee), Erik Gudbranson (wrist), Derek Dorsett (neck), Philip Larsen (concussion)

Blackhawks projected lineup

Ryan Hartman -- Jonathan Toews -- Richard Panik
Artemi Panarin -- Artem Anisimov -- Patrick Kane
Vinnie Hinostroza -- Tanner Kero - Marian Hossa
Dennis Rasmussen -- Nick Schmaltz -- Andrew Desjardins
Duncan Keith -- Niklas Hjalmarsson
Michal Kempny -- Brent Seabrook
Brian Campbell -- Trevor van Riemsdyk
Corey Crawford
Scott Darling
Scratched:Michal Rozsival, Jordin Tootoo
Injured:Marcus Kruger (hand)

Status report

Kruger participated in the morning skate and said he feels close to returning. Quenneville said he'll be re-assessed prior to games Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets. … Vancouver is going with the same lineup from its win against the Panthers on Friday.

Who's hot

Kane has three goals and seven assists in the past eight games. Kero and Hinostroza each have two goals, and Hossa has a goal and three assists in the past two games. … Henrik Sedin got his 1,000th career NHL point against the Panthers on Friday, and has two goals and two assists during a four-game point streak.