Blackhawks, Red Wings disagree on Kronwall hit

There always are two sides to every story, but rarely do the accounts vary from player to player, coach to coach and team to team as divergently as they do among the Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings.

At issue Saturday was the punishing blow Detroit's Niklas Kronwall delivered on Blackhawks star Martin Havlat in the first period of Game 3 Friday night.

The Blackhawks see red; the Wings see white.

The Blackhawks call it illegal; the Wings claim it was a legitimate hockey hit.

The Hawks are seething; the Wings don't seem to care.

The bottom line is Kronwall's forearm to Havlat's head not only knocked the Hawks' leading playoffs scorer out cold, it might have well knocked him out of the lineup for today's Game 4 as well, even though Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said Havlat "really looked good" Saturday and there was a "chance" he could play today.

Goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, who had to leave Friday's game after the second period due to the ever-vague, lower-body injury, also may be out today. Quenneville said Khabibulin was better Saturday and had made "good progress."

But it was the hit on Havlat that still was the talk the morning after.

"There's no need for it in this game," said Hawks defenseman Brian Campbell, who Friday called the hit gutless.

"Even though Marty didn't even have the puck, it's so easy (to avoid). Instead he comes in and explodes with his fist and his forearm on a guy who's exposed and doesn't even have the puck.

"These guys have to pay for it, these guys taking shots to the head. It's unacceptable, and it's not like it's the first time it's happened with that guy."

Kronwall took exception to being called dirty.

"Everyone has the right to their own opinion," he said. "People who know me know I don't try to hurt anyone out there. I try to make a hit. It was unfortunate he got hit the way he did. From my perspective, the way I felt things happened was the puck went off the wall, he went to pick it up, I stepped in, and he never saw me coming."

It wasn't just the players who were in complete disagreement.

"It's a dangerous hit," Quenneville said.

"I thought it was a great hockey hit," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "So far from being gutless it's not even funny. He did it right. He didn't leave his feet. The puck was right in between the guy's feet. I mean, no way.

"I heard Joel Quenneville talk about it. What he does is he comes in, whether he believes it or not, he tells you what he's got to tell you. I actually believe what I'm telling you. It's the facts."

The facts for the Hawks are they may go into today's pivotal game minus their leading scorer and No. 1 goalie, no easy task against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

"The whole team in general has to pick it up. Marty's been our offensive leader, and whether he plays or not it's going to make a difference in the game," said Patrick Sharp, who scored twice Friday, including the game-winner in overtime. "It's an opportunity for someone to step up."

And rest assured what has been a fairly clean series to date might get a little chippier starting today.

"I'm sure; that's just natural," Kronwall said.

"I don't know what will happen to (Kronwall), but I'm sure there won't be one check not finished on him," Campbell said. "We'll hit clean - just like to see him do that once in awhile."