Hawks rookie Nordstrom plays - with mixed results

It wasn't the kind of return to the lineup Blackhawks rookie Joakim Nordstrom was hoping for Thursday night at the United Center.

After sitting the previous 10 playoff games, Nordstrom suited up for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final and was on the ice for both of the Anaheim goals in the Hawks' 2-1 loss that put them down 2-1 in the series.

"They told me right before the (morning) skate, so it wasn't that late (in the process), and I came in prepared to play this morning," said Nordstrom, who finished with a minus-1 rating, 1 shot and 3 hits. "Obviously, I was real excited to be back and playing. I'm not too happy about the outcome, but I was excited to play."

Filling the role of right wing on the fourth line, Nordstrom was part of a four-player roster swap that included himself and Kris Versteeg re-entering the lineup after lengthy stretches of being scratched. They took the place of Antoine Vermette and rookie Teuvo Teravainen - with Andrew Shaw moving back to center the third line and Nordstrom filling Shaw's vacated spot on a fourth line that played well in the first two games.

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said the switches weren't injury related, but did say triple overtime in Game 2 on Tuesday factored into the decision.

"Well, we just wanted to get some fresh legs in there," Quenneville said. "We felt that (Versteeg never played over a long stretch there in the last series and we wanted to get him back in there. Tough game the other day with travel and we wanted to bring some new guys in."

The moves retooled the Hawks' bottom two lines. It also put Nordstrom back into a penalty-killing role alongside Marcus Kruger, which is when the Ducks scored their first goal with him on the ice.

Hampus Lindholm's shot from the blue line during a power play in the first sailed between Nordstrom and Kruger before Patrick Maroon tipped the puck between goalie Corey Crawford's pads from the low slot.

Nordstrom had a more active role in the Ducks' second goal, which put them up 2-1 with 54.2 seconds left the second. Anaheim held the puck in the Hawks' zone and worked it back to Ryan Getzlaf at the blue line. Thinking Getzlaf was going to hammer a shot, Nordstrom dipped to one knee attempting to block a shot.

He left Simon Despres alone in the right circle for a one-timer that beat Crawford off Getzlaf's pass

"I came out to block the shot and he passed it," Nordstrom said. "It was a good play."

Nordstrom played one more shift in the first, seven in the second and sat for all but one shift in the third. Versteeg and Kane double shifted in his spot.