Stalberg gives former boss a show
Talk about perfect timing.
On the night when Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke was scouting from the United Center press box, Viktor Stalberg scored the winning goal in overtime for the Blackhawks.
“That always makes it a little more fun,” Stalberg joked after the Hawks' 3-2 victory over Anaheim.
It was Burke who traded Stalberg to the Hawks last summer in exchange for Kris Versteeg.
Stalberg's goal was his sixth of the season while the struggling Versteeg has only 2 for the Maple Leafs and is minus-6.
“Versteeg is a good player,” Stalberg said. “I know he's off to a bit of a slow start up there, but I've seen him play and he's a great player and he's going to be good for their team.
“It's fun obviously to show (Burke) a little bit, but he's a great guy and I have nothing against him.”
The Hawks are happy with the 24-year-old Stalberg, who, a quarter of the way into the season, is on a pace to score 24 goals.
“He's scored some key goals for us,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “He's been a good addition.”
As for Burke being at the UC, there has been talk out of Toronto that the GM might be looking to make a deal with his Leafs mired in an eight-game losing streak and struggling to score goals with the league's second-worst offense.
A report in Sunday's Ottawa Sun claimed Burke was looking to add a power forward.
Left to right:
The experiment with Patrick Kane at left wing ended Sunday after just two games.
Kane was back at his customary right wing on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Viktor Stalberg and had a goal and an assist on the power play.
Twice now in the last two seasons Joel Quenneville has tried using Kane at left wing with little success.
“You never know,” Kane said of staying put at right wing. “It seemed like the lines were pretty good tonight.”
Dave Bolland centered the second line for Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp.
Stocking stuffer:
The Hawks' produced book, “One Goal Achieved: The Inside Story of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks,” will be available at area retailers Nov. 23.
An added bonus to the book is a DVD featuring behind-the-scenes footage of the locker-room celebration in Philadelphia and the Stanley Cup parade and rally.
Tip-ins:
Patrick Sharp, once the NHL leader, went his eighth straight game without a goal. … John Scott and Jordan Hendry were healthy scratches again. … The Hawks don't play another game at the United Center until Nov. 30 against St. Louis. They'll practice Tuesday before departing for Edmonton to begin their six-game circus road trip.