(SportsNetwork.com) - The Chicago Blackhawks will try to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time since early November on Sunday evening as they take on the visiting Dallas Stars.
The Blackhawks are coming off a 4-2 setback to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday, their third loss in as many meetings with the club this season. Chicago sits third in the Central Division, but just two points ahead of Winnipeg.
Corey Crawford allowed three goals on 34 shots, while Brandon Saad and Teuvo Teravainen had goals. The 20-year-old Teravainen, the 18th overall pick of the 2012 draft, picked up his first career goal when he lit the lamp with 7:17 to play.
That pulled the Blackhawks to within one before the Jets iced things with an empty-net tally.
"Of course it's great to get the first one," said Teravainen. "But of course it would have been a lot better to get it in a win. Still, a nice feeling to score your first."
The Blackhawks have now split the first two of a four-game homestand and have alternated wins and losses for the past eight contests. However, Chicago has not lost two in a row since Nov. 1-2.
Forward Daniel Carcillo's status for this game is in doubt as he was offered an in-person hearing with the NHL's department of player safety for a cross- check he delivered the Jets' Mathieu Perreault.
Carcillo could receive at least a six-game ban for the incident given the in- person hearing, which is required by the Collective Bargaining Agreement for any ban that can exceed five games.
The Blackhawks have won five straight and 11 of their past 12 versus the Stars, including the first three of five meetings this season. Chicago recently picked up a home win versus Dallas in overtime on Jan. 4, with Patrick Sharp netting the game-winner and Crawford posting 30 saves.
Chicago rallied from four one-goal deficits and Crawford improved to 11-5-0 in his career versus Dallas with a 2.43 goals against average and .906 save percentage in 17 meetings (16 starts).
Kari Lehtonen made 33 saves for the Stars, falling to 5-7-4 with a 3.09 GAA and .909 save percentage in 16 matchups with the 'Hawks.
It is unknown if Lehtonen or backup Anders Lindback will start this evening. Lehtonen was in net on Saturday night in a 5-4 win over the Washington Capitals, posting 28 saves.
Lindback is 1-2-0 in his career versus the Blackhawks with a 4.01 GAA and .872 save percentage.
Dallas, which had lost five of six ahead of last night's win, blew a 3-0 lead but then rebounded when Antoine Roussel and Jamie Benn scored 16 seconds apart in the third period.
Washington did make it a one-goal game with 3:26 to play, but Dallas held on.
"That was up and down. We controlled the game, we didn't control the game. We fought back, scored a couple and then hung on for dear life. We made some big mistakes at just critical times of the game," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said.
Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza and Erik Cole each posted a goal and an assist for the Stars, while defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka notched two assists. He was recalled from the American Hockey League earlier in the day with Trevor Daley out with an undisclosed injury.
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