Goalie coach thinks Huet needs to relax

Is Cristobal Huet feeling pressure in his first season with the Blackhawks?

Goaltending coach Stephane Waite has seen signs that lead him to believe the answer sometimes is yes.

Whether Huet is under pressure from the four-year, $5.63 million contract he signed as a free agent or struggling to play as well as Nikolai Khabibulin, Waite wants to see the veteran relax more in the net.

"I told him in training camp, don't make that mistake to put too much pressure on yourself because of the big contract and just focus on the right things," Waite said Tuesday.

"He's a very good goalie and has always been a very good goalie. He just needs to be more relaxed and have fun. I know it's not easy for him, not playing regularly, but that's the situation here, and he knows the situation.

"But I never worry about him. He's going to be very good."

Huet starts for the third straight game tonight against Anaheim at the United Center, looking to improve on his 2.84 goals-against average and .902 save percentage.

"I think my game is not too far off," said Huet, who Waite believes can be too hard on himself.

"He's very hard on himself, and sometimes that's good and sometimes I have tell him he's doing a lot of good things and to relax and have fun and be happy," Waite said. "There's not always something wrong."

There has been a knock on Huet that he allows too many rebounds, but he said he felt his rebound control was "all right" in losses last weekend to the Ducks and the Kings.

"We work a lot on that," Waite said. "Every day we do drills for rebounds off the stick and chest. He'll be fine."

Who's on third? Martin Havlat skated on the third line with Dave Bolland and Andrew Ladd at practice Tuesday.

Up until now, Bolland, Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien have comprised the so-called checking line, which seems like an odd place to play Havlat.

"You have to look at it that if those guys are going to play against quality offensive guys, you can generate a lot of quality yourself," coach Joel Quenneville said. "I think with all three of them (Bolland, Ladd and Havlat), there's a little bit of everything there."

Byfuglien skated with Jonathan Toews and Kris Versteeg, while Patrick Sharp centered for Patrick Kane and Troy Brouwer. It's expected this is how Quenneville will start the game against the Ducks.

Still sore: Nikolai Khabibulin tried skating on his own Tuesday but wasn't ready to practice.

"We'll see how he progresses over the course of the week," Joel Quenneville said. "It might take some time."

Larmer recognized: Hawks great Steve Larmer will be saluted before tonight's game on the first "Heritage Night" of the season.