Hossa wasting little time making impact with Hawks

It'll be two weeks Wednesday since Marian Hossa made his Blackhawks debut at San Jose.

Hossa has 3 goals and 3 assists in six games, which isn't too shabby for a guy who still doesn't feel he has his legs or is as familiar with coach Joel Quenneville's system as he would like to be.

"It's coming," Hossa said. "Every day it's a little better with my legs."

Quenneville certainly likes what he has seen from the four-time all-star, whose offensive instincts are noticeable every time he's on the ice.

"I think maybe he has a way to go maybe with his endurance and his timing, but certainly I don't see anything I'm worried about right now," Quenneville said. "We like what he's doing and what he brings."

Hossa still is trying to improve his chemistry with linemate Jonathan Toews. For now Quenneville appears to have settled on Kris Versteeg at left wing on the top line with a strong second line of Patrick Sharp, Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien.

"We haven't scored many goals 5-on-5 the last couple games, which was kind of our bread and butter last year," Kane said. "We want to pick that up a bit and try to find some chemistry with the lines."

Hossa's already has scored some big goals in his brief time with the Hawks. There was a key short-handed goal in the 7-2 win at San Jose on Nov. 25, then the goal 4-on-4 at Pittsburgh on Saturday in a game the Hawks won 2-1 in overtime.

"He's a special player in a lot of ways," Quenneville said. "His play recognition, his patience with the puck and the way he can settle down in tight areas and all of a sudden have some space and room is good to see.

"I think we can learn off some of the things he does with and going into puck areas. A lot of good things happen when he's on the ice."

Tough adjustment: Tomas Kopecky was a healthy scratch at Pittsburgh on Saturday for the first time this season.

Kopecky has had a rough start with the Hawks. He is a team worst minus-7 with just 1 goal in 27 games.

"We like what he brings," Joel Quenneville said. "He likes to work hard. I think defensively he's adjusting to how we move and play without the puck.

"I just think we need to have energy out of that (fourth) line no matter who's out there, and keeping the puck out of our net is part of it."

Tip-in: Cristobal Huet starts in goal tonight against the Rangers.