Disallowed goal just more tough luck for Stalberg

DENVER — It was tough luck for Viktor Stalberg that his was the goal disallowed in Saturday's loss at San Jose because of a quick whistle by referee Greg Kimmerly.

Stalberg now has gone 11 games without a goal.

“That seems to be the way things are going for me right now,” said Stalberg, who was benched Wednesday against Dallas for the entire third period because of poor play. “I didn't play the way I wanted last game, but I thought (Saturday) I played a lot better.”

The Hawks caught the bad break at 6:58 of the second period in a 1-1 game.

Kimmerly, thinking Sharks goalie Antti Niemi had smothered Jack Skille's shot, blew the whistle before Stalberg poked in the rebound. Niemi clearly never had the puck.

“It's tough the ref is in a bad angle, but I think he blows it down a little too quickly,” Stalberg said. “Obviously that's a game-changer. A 2-1 lead there would be big for us.

“I thought it came right through (Niemi). He never had it. I don't know why he blows it down so quickly. I think he should realize that I'm skating hard towards that puck too. Especially when you don't see it, I think you wait for another second or half-second, but it happens.”

The Hawks tried to take the high road to the blown call.

“Sometimes it's a quick whistle and you can't complain,” said Quenneville, who at the time was standing on the bench, screaming at Kimmerly.

“He admitted he was wrong, that he blew the whistle too early,” Jonathan Toews said. “While you appreciate that, it still doesn't give you a 2-1 lead.”

Captain getting serious:

The first line of Jonathan Toews, Jack Skille and Viktor Stalberg combined for 14 shots at San Jose, led by Skille's 7.

“Johnny had a good game and Jack took it to the net a couple times and was dangerous off the rush,” Joel Quenneville said. “Johnny had the puck a lot.”

Toews won 12 of 17 faceoffs and is 26-9 in the last two games.

“It's always something I want to be good at,” Toews said. “You always feel the game is flowing and everything is going your way a little more if you can control the faceoffs and have the puck off the start of each play.

“I feel I'm playing well and doing my job if I'm out there winning faceoffs.”

Point of view:

Sharks coach Todd McLellan didn't think his team or the Hawks were at their best Saturday.

“It was one of those nights where I don't think they were as sharp as they wanted to be,” McLellan said. “I know our team wasn't.”