Bolland stays patient during offensive slump

Dave Bolland isn't expected to be one of the Blackhawks' top point producers, but even the center knows his numbers are not what they should be after almost two months of the season.

Bolland has 1 goal and 4 assists in 22 games, with that lone goal coming way back on Oct. 16.

“It's one of those slumps and it's something I have to get out of,” Bolland said. “Hockey is tough game and being out there is tough and getting out of it is tough. But if I keep getting on myself about my points, I think that's when my game will go down and down and down, and things won't go my way.”

Bolland is considered the Hawks' checking center, and his defensive work against the opposition's top scorers still defines his value to the club.

“I think just being strong and playing my defensive game and being strong in the defensive zone, my points will come,” Bolland said. “It's just a period of time I'm going through, but I'm going to come out sooner or later.”

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville thinks Bolland is at his best when he's involved as a checker.

“His game is definitely more effective in that challenge,” Quenneville said. “You look at his point production and you can't get excited about it, but at the same time I think his role comes to the forefront and his effectiveness does as well.”

As the Crow flies:

Corey Crawford will start in goal tonight against Calgary at the United Center. The rookie has won his last five starts.

Marty Turco started for the first time since Nov. 24 on Friday against Vancouver and didn't play poorly in a 3-0 loss to the Canucks.

“I felt good,” Turco said. “It's disappointing losing at any point in the year, but when you have a week off and a chance to come back after a lot of hard work it makes it a little more disappointing, but there's a lot of games still to be played.”

Now it can be said:

The Hawks weren't talking much about it while they were in the midst of it, but even Joel Quenneville is admitting now there was some sort of a Stanley Cup hangover surrounding the team for the first six weeks of the season.

“I don't know if we were up to speed initially,” Quenneville said. “We were guarded against our start whether it was the reason of new guys or the old guys.

“We're not passing blame around here, but I think it took us awhile to catch up to the pace necessary to be successful. We're heading in that direction and if we keep going on that pace we'll be pleased where we're at.”

Not so special:

The Hawks have allowed at least 1 power-play goal in nine of their last 13 games and have tumbled in the league rankings to the bottom 10.

“Our penalty-kill really hasn't been that good all year long,” Patrick Sharp said.

“I think the one area we want to repair is our penalty- killing,” Joel Quenneville said. “I think it's progressing. Our power play has still been effective and is still dangerous with a lot of good weapons. We know the importance of both areas to have success.”

Injuries to key penalty-killers Marian Hossa and Fernando Pisani has forced Quenneville to switch his pairs and give forwards such as Troy Brouwer and Tomas Kopecky more of an opportunity to kill penalties.

“We've revamped a few little things,” Quenneville said. “It's an opportunity and we might find out about somebody being a killer going forward.”

Injury report:

Marian Hossa (lower body) and Fernando Pisani (upper body) could be back sooner than later.

“Hopefully sometime next week one of two will be on the ice,” Joel Quenneville said.