Blackhawks' Stalberg wishes Leafs well

Viktor Stalberg is happy to see his former Toronto Maple Leafs teammates playing well.

“I'd love to see them make the playoffs,” Stalberg said. “Hopefully we get our points and they can keep winning after that.”

The Hawks play in Toronto tonight and the Maple Leafs are on fire with points in nine straight games (6-0-3).

“It seems like they have turned the corner and are playing some good hockey right now,” said Stalberg, whom the Leafs traded to the Hawks last summer in the deal for Kris Versteeg. “I think it's good for hockey to have Toronto in the race because the city is a big market and it helps promote our sport.”

Stalberg was still getting razzed in the dressing room Friday morning about the first fight of his NHL career Wednesday against rugged Calgary defenseman Mark Giordano.

“I know he's a pretty tough guy, but I've got long arms and I was able to keep away from him,” Stalberg joked. “He's a good player. If we can get a tradeoff there and take one of their best defenseman off the ice, I don't think that's a bad thing for us.”

“He did all right,” enforcer John Scott said. “I was worried about him at first because Giordano is a tough guy, but he stayed right in there.”

Bright lights:

The Hawks will play on perhaps the biggest stage in hockey tonight — Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre against the Maple Leafs, televised by Hockey Night in Canada.

“Saturday night, Hockey Night in Canada, I'm sure all of us, even myself as an American, grew up watching those games,” Patrick Kane said. “I remember every Saturday night, I'd be on the couch watching Buffalo or someone else playing the Leafs.

“We don't see much of that, getting on Hockey Night in Canada, but it's pretty fun and a lot of people are watching.”

Fitting in:

Chris Campoli reported no problem getting in step with the Hawks' system in his debut Wednesday against Calgary.

“I was a little nervous in a new situation with a new partner, but the guys were good with me,” Campoli said. “(Partner) Brian Campbell was great. The communication was there and I think that's a big thing as defensemen. Going forward we'll get to know each other better and continue to make strides.”

First things first:

For the Hawks, the goal is to finish fourth in the Western Conference even though they still have an outside chance to catch Detroit and win the Central Division.

“I think that's a little too far out for us,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “A playoff spot is what we want to do. Home ice would a great achievement and I think that's kind of the shorter-term goal that we're looking at right now.”