Sharp regaining edge with each game
Here’s some real encouraging news for the Blackhawks: The best is yet to come with Patrick Sharp.
The veteran winger whose consistent scoring has been one of the backbones of the team feels he is finally rounding into form after missing all of training camp because of an emergency appendectomy.
This is where the good news comes in. Despite using the first eight games of the regular season as his own personal training camp, Sharp still is tied for the team lead with 8 points on 3 goals and five assists with the Hawks off to a 5-1-2 start.
“The first couple games the pacing of the game was a little quick, but we were winning games and the puck’s going in so that’s all that matters,” Sharp said.
“I’m feeling fine. The surgery and abdominal area is no problem at all. If it was up to me, I would have liked to have training camp because it sets the tone for the season, but there are no excuses. I’m feeling fine, the team is winning and all is good.”
Sharp played in those back-to-back games against Dallas on Oct. 7-8 to start the season after being back on the ice only a few days. He scored his first goal in the second game at the United Center.
“It did take a little while,” Sharp said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been as sore as I was Sunday morning after the two games against Dallas, but we’ve had a lot of practices, the coaches do a good job of preparing us and I’ve been training with (strength coach) Paul Goodman in the gym. If anything, I’m a little more fresh because I don’t have those two or three weeks of grinding through training camp.”
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville sees the first line of Jonathan Toews, Sharp and Andrew Brunette getting better and better after a few early bumps.
“I thought that line had some real good shifts late in the game (against Anaheim),” Quenneville said. “A couple shifts got the momentum back for us. That line should be expected to score. We like them in the offensive zone, creating some offensive zone time, which really sustains momentum or gets momentum.”
Brunette still doesn’t have a goal 5-on-5, but Quenneville isn’t worried about the 38-year-old veteran being able to play with Toews and Sharp.
“Bruno is Bruno,” Quenneville said. “He’s got some experience, he knows the league and we expect him to be better as we go along here. He’ll be fine.”
The balance of the four lines has been a key to the Hawks’ early success.
Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa and Daniel Carcillo have found chemistry on the second line, the third line of Dave Bolland, Bryan Bickell and Michael Frolik has been dangerous with a combined 7 goals, and Jamal Mayers has popped in 2 goals on the fourth line while fighting three times.
“You look at all four lines and they contribute at different times,” Sharp said. “We call them the first, second, third and fourth lines, but really everyone plays that unique role on the team.”