Hawks' Kane won't let foes push him around

The Blackhawks' Patrick Kane may not be a big guy, but he sure has a feisty side to him, especially when he feels opponents are taking unwarranted runs at him.

The sensational sophomore proved that Wednesday, getting whistled for high-sticking three separate times, including one for a hit on Ottawa's Nick Foligno that earned Kane a double minor.

"I actually know the kid I did it to, I'm pretty good buddies with him - played in World Championships camps with him," Kane said. "He's a good kid, but I think in the heat of the moment you've got to do things like that to protect yourself. I'd rather have him take a stick in the chops than me.

"I think the rest of the game no one really took a run at me, so maybe it sent a message."

Not exactly the type of message Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville is looking for from his young star.

"We've seen a couple of games in a row things have happened and the players have sorted it out," Quenneville said. "But we've got to be responsible for our sticks. I think eight minutes (in penalties) in one game is plenty."

Quenneville got that message across to Kane later in Wednesday's game.

"I was going out for a power play and he looked at me with a smirk and said, 'Kaner, keep your stick on the ice,' " he said.

Nik's Nite: A day after Cristobal Huet put together a sterling performance, stopping 23 shots in a 2-0 shutout of the Ottawa Senators, those expecting him to be back in net Friday in Denver sure got quite a surprise from coach Joel Quenneville following Thursday's practice.

"Habby's going," Quenneville said of Nikolai Khabibulin, who has been out since suffering a groin injury Nov. 26 at San Jose. "He had the net when he got hurt and he didn't do anything to lose it."

That means some time on the bench for Huet, who is 3-0-1 in his last four games.

"We've got a healthy situation with two goalies who have played in bulks of games in a row, so it makes it a challenge for them that they might not play the next game after playing well," Quenneville said.

Shoveling it: His snow blower was turned off, he reached in to remove some clogged snow, and the next thing Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic knew he was in the hospital with three broken fingers and no chance to return to the lineup until at least the end of the regular season.

Sakic is lucky his injuries weren't worse. According to the Denver Post, the Consumer Products Safety Commission indicated there are more than 1,000 finger amputations per year as a result of snow-blower accidents.