Savard fed up after seeing foes dish out cheap shots

Blackhawks coach Denis Savard is getting fed up seeing his young players on the receiving end of cheap shots.

And the referees doing little about it.

Jonathan Toews was elbowed in the face by Vancouver's Matt Pettinger in Sunday's 4-1 Hawks win at the United Center, a blow that opened a cut around the mouth that needed 50 stitches to close and chipping the tooth of the Hawks' prized rookie.

All Pettinger received from referees Kerry Fraser and Steve Kozari was a double minor for high sticking.

In Thursday's game at Dallas, Hawks rookie defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson received a blow to the head from the Stars' Antti Miettinen and got only a minor for elbowing from referees Dan Marouelli and Dan O'Halloran.

"I've talked about this and I'm not one to criticize anybody, but Hjalmarsson got elbowed in the head the other night in Dallas, and a few times it's happened in the last couple weeks," Savard said. "(Ed) Jovanovski took a run at (Adam) Burish against Phoenix from the blue line in, then again tonight.

"We've got to take care of our players. I like us to play physical, but I want us to play clean and I'm hoping teams give a little respect to each other."

Cam Barker stepped in for Toews on Sunday and fought Pettinger, just as Brent Seabrook and Burish have done on several occasions recently to protect teammates.

"Obviously, teams are going to take runs at (Patrick) Kane and Toews and it's up to guys to step in and not let that happen," Barker said.

Havlat not optimistic: It's not official yet, but it appears Martin Havlat is done for the season with another dislocated left shoulder.

"It looks like I'm going into surgery for sure," Havlat said Sunday.

The Hawks and Havlat will consult with several more doctors this week, but surgery is all but a done deal.

Havlat tried to get through the season after seriously injuring the shoulder on opening night in Minnesota.

"I didn't want to miss the whole season, so I waited (to have surgery)," Havlat said. "I was hoping to finish the season."

Walking wounded: The Hawks' scratch list Sunday was nearly as long as their active roster. Missing for one reason or another were seven regulars not counting Yanic Perreault and Kevyn Adams, the only Hawks on the official injured list.

The Hawks faced the Canucks without Martin Havlat (shoulder), Nikolai Khabibulin (back), Robert Lang (back), Dave Bolland (hip), Brent Sopel (hand), Andreui Zyuzin (groin) and the suspended Adam Burish.

Dressed and in the lineup were five recent recalls from Rockford in Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jake Dowell, Bryan Bickell, Petri Kontiola and Corey Craweford.

Bickell and Dowell were recalled Sunday morning to replace Bolland and Burish.