Getting physical? Hawks think that may be only answer

LOS ANGELES - Duncan Keith perhaps said it best in the aftermath of yet another key Blackhawks player going down as the result of a questionable hit.

"Maybe start doing it back, I guess start hitting from behind a little bit and see how it goes," Keith said after defense partner Brent Seabrook had his head rammed into the glass by Anaheim Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski's high cheap shot in the second period.

Therein lies the rub, however.

Do the Hawks have the kind of players, other than Adam Burish, to play a nasty game? Many believe the answer is no.

We're not talking about enforcer-type goons here, guys who barely can play three minutes. It's having players, such as Wisniewski, who play the game with a physical edge.

It's possible the Hawks, a speed and finesse team, have too many of the same kind of players.

"We're going to have to maybe be more physical ourselves," Dustin Byfuglien said. "Start playing the body more and teams will start sitting back a little bit."

General manager Stan Bowman said Thursday he likes the makeup of his club.

"It's hockey. We're not out there trying to hurt people. We're out there to try and win the game," Bowman said. "It would be one thing if the things that happened were legal plays, but as you see these guys are getting suspended because they're illegal plays.

"There's not much you can do about preventing that. It doesn't matter what type of lineup you dress if the other guys are going to commit things against the rules and get suspended for it. We've got to play our game and that is having the puck, controlling the game and limiting other teams' opportunities."

All one needs to do is look back at what has happened this season and who has answered the bell when there has been trouble.

It was Keith coming to Seabrook's aid Wednesday at the Honda Center. Forwards Ben Eager, Troy Brouwer and Jonathan Toews also were in the ice but showed no reaction to the stunning play.

Where was Eager? It's a big part of his job description to help police for his teammates.

It also was Keith who mildly stepped into Alex Ovechkin on Sunday when nobody else did after the Capitals' star drilled Brian Campbell into the boards from behind, ending his regular season with a broken collarbone and fractured rib.

Kris Versteeg, all 182 pounds of him, came to Toews' aid in October after Vancouver defenseman Willie Mitchell dropped the Hawks captain with a shoulder-to-head shot.

Versteeg also stepped into Colby Armstrong after the Atlanta winger knocked Marian Hossa out of the game Feb. 13 with a high hit to the head.

Brouwer has had his good moments as a policeman, particularly Feb. 14 at Columbus when he attacked Anton Stralman after the Blue Jackets defenseman went knee to knee with Patrick Kane.

Give Nick Boynton the highest of marks for going after Wisniewski late in Wednesday's 4-2 loss after the game was decided. He didn't just clutch and grab and push and shove; Boynton went in throwing punches.

"We're proud and happy for the guys like Dunc and Nick that stood up for (Seabrook)," Toews said.

Boynton would have loved to go after Wisniewski sooner, but the score of the game (2-2 until late) made him wait for the right spot.

"Unfortunately the game, it was close for a little too long there," Boynton said. "When it's 4-2, then something should be done."