BLOG: Blackhawks to Face Oilers in Return to Play Qualifying Round

We don't know when or where, but the Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers are set to sqaure off in a best-of-five series with a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the line when the NHL returns to action later this summer.

As outlined in the

league's 24-team Return to Play Plan

announced on Tuesday afternoon, Chicago is one of 12 Western Conference teams that will return to action when the league is able to move into Phase 4 of the return process. There, as the No. 12 seed in the West based on points percentage, they will face the No. 5 seed Oilers in an eight-team Qualifying Round among Western Conference teams.

The four winners of the Qualifying Round matchups will earn a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the top four teams from the conference. The same process is repeated for the 12 teams in the Eastern Conference.

SEASON SERIES

In three meetings this season, the Blackhawks posted a 2-1-0 record against the Oilers, with Patrick Kane (2G, 2A) leading Chicago in scoring with four points. Jonathan Toews (2G, 1A), Brandon Saad (2G, 1A) and Adam Boqvist each had three points apiece.

OCT. 28 - CHI 3, EDM 1

The Blackhawks dealt the Oilers their first loss of the season, 3-1, at the United Center. Kane, Alex Nylander and Saad all scored as

Corey Crawford

stopped 27 of the 28 shots he faced in Chicago's first win of the season.

FEB. 11 - CHI 3, EDM 5

Edmonton took its lone win of the series with a 5-3 result in Alberta behind a four-point night from Leon Draisaitl (1G, 3A) and a pair of goals from rookie Kailer Yamamoto. Kane notched a pair of primary assists as Saad, Toews and Boqvist all scored in the loss.

MARCH 5 - CHI 4, EDM 3

Chicago picked up a fourth straight win in early March as Alex DeBrincat found the net twice, while Kane and Toews each added a tally, in a 4-3 victory at the United Center. The goal was Kane's 30th on the season and Adam Boqvist added a pair of assists.

POSTSEASON HISTORY

Though the Qualifying Round isn't itself a playoff matchup - rather a series with a playoff berth on the line - the Blackhawks and Oilers were frequent postseason foes in the 1980s and early 90s. Chicago and Edmonton met in the Conference Finals four times within a 10-year span: 1983, 1985, 1990 and 1992.

Edmonton took the first three matchups in four, six and six games, respectively, but Chicago swept the best-of-seven series in 1992 in

a run of 11 straight victories in a single postseason

• setting an NHL record - en route to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1973.