Seabrook smashing success: 7 hits in victory over Kings

Brent Seabrook doesn't look to be waiting for the playoffs to crank his game up physically.

Seabrook has played three straight games where his physical play stood out, including the Blackhawks' 4-1 victory over Los Angeles on Sunday when the defenseman was credited with 7 hits.

Seabrook claims he isn't trying to hit any more than usual.

"I don't think it's anything I'm trying to do," Seabrook said. "I think it's just I'm trying to have a good gap, and sometimes the better gap you have it's easy to hit guys. Either they don't see you maybe, or they don't pick up their head quick enough.

"I'm just trying to play well defensively, have good gaps and try not to give them too much."

Seabrook was plus-2 against the Kings and now is plus-21 for the season.

Keep it going: While the Hawks were content with winning on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak, they know it won't mean much if they don't follow it up with a strong week.

The Hawks have a 2-point lead on Vancouver for fourth place in the Western Conference with games to play this week against San Jose, New Jersey and the Canucks.

"I think being in the middle of this pack again (in the West) certainly gets your attention," coach Joel Quenneville said. "The importance of these games here, we've got to play them like playoff games. That's how we've got to build the momentum and recapture the feeling of playing at home and what it takes to win hockey games.

"Maybe we let off the gas pedal a little but, but we know now it can't happen."

Leading the way: The Hawk snot only scored first against the Kings, they kept the lead the whole game.

The Hawks' 1-0 lead after the first period was the first time they had done that since against Carolina on March 11.

"We were much smarter during the whole game than the few games before that," Martin Havlat said. "It's always nice to get the lead early. Lately we've been starting the game from behind. It was nice to get the go-ahead goal early and keep it to the end."

Tip-ins: Joel Quenneville was hoping to have injured defensemen Cam Barker (lower body) and Matt Walker (upper body) back at practice today. - Vancouver plays at Dallas tonight, while Columbus is at Tampa Bay.