Gustav Forsling back in when Blackhawks face Blues

Gustav Forsling will draw back into the lineup and Scott Darling will start when the Blackhawks face the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

Forsling was a healthy scratch in place of Michal Kempny on Thursday. But Kempny had a tough start to the Blackhawks’ 5-4 victory over the New York Islanders, so Forsling returns.

Tyler Motte will be a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game but coach Joel Quenneville said Motte could play when the Blackhawks host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night.

“He’s got some pace to his game, some ability on both sides of the puck. He had some production prior to his injury and slowed down in that area,” Quenneville said. “With back to back games likely in [Sunday], so look to see him get some progression in his game.”

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The Blackhawks enter Saturday's game tied for the most points in the NHL (44, along with Pittsburgh). They have a six-point lead in the Western Conference over Minnesota and St. Louis (both have 38). This is the third meeting between the Blackhawks and Blues this season — St. Louis won the season opener while the Blackhawks took an overtime victory on the road in November. With offseason personnel changes the Blues also altered their style of play somewhat. That considered, Ken Hitchcock likes how the Blues have done against the Blackhawks so far.

“We’ve had to make changes this year. We can’t do the things this year to [the Blackhawks] that we did before, so we have to find a little different way to play. And our players deserve a lot of credit for getting three points in the first two games with making the adjustments,” Hitchcock said. “But [the Blackhawks] are on top of their game,” Hitchcock said. They’re really on top of their game right now. They have good fluidness in their team game and they have a lot of people contributing, not just the big three or four forwards up here.”