Q likes balance of Hawks lines
The return of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to practice Tuesday wasn't the only change for the Blackhawks.
Coach Joel Quenneville did some shuffling of the lines as well, putting Brandon Saad and Kris Versteeg with Toews on the top line and placing Kane alongside Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell on the third line.
"That's what the coaches are here for; to set some lineups," Kane said. "All of us have played with each other at one point or another.
"That's one of the strengths of our team - the depth. It seems like we have a lot of balance in our lineup right now."
The second line was Patrick Sharp, Michal Handzus and Marian Hossa, while the fourth line consisted of Brandon Bollig, Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith.
"I thought all the lines have comparable ingredients with the ability to score and play without the puck, as well," Quenneville said. "We also had that continuity of at least a couple of guys who are familiar with one another.
"Every game would be different, but right now you like the balance."
Wearing the dreaded white sweaters Tuesday were Jeremy Morin, Peter Regin and Joakim Nordstrom.
The hits keep on coming:
Tuesday's practice at Johnny's Ice House began with Michal Handzus taking a puck to the face and ended with a puck splitting in half on a big shot by Bryan Bickell.
After getting bopped with a puck early in the day, Handzus briefly left the ice to have it checked out, but fortunately the veteran center was able to return to practice.
The session ended with Bickell launching a slapper that hit goalie Antti Raanta in the head and the puck splitting in half.
"I told him I was sorry," Bickell said afterward.
No need, though, according to Raanta,
"I didn't feel much. It didn't even hit into my mask so much - it deflected," he said. "Bicksie has a big shot. Maybe there was a little too much power about him."
Tip-ins:
Among the walking wounded who participated in Blues practice Tuesday were T.J. Oshie, Alex Pietrangelo and Vladimir Tarasenko. ... Joel Quenneville's horse Midnight Hawk is listed as a probable for Saturday's running of the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Racecourse.