Blackhawks’ biggest players playing big

After a quiet few weeks, the Blackhawks’ best players are starting to be difference-makers again.

For the third game in a row, the Hawks were led by their big guns in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over St. Louis at the United Center.

Duncan Keith had a goal and an assist, Dave Bolland scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal set up by Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane, and Marian Hossa made a clutch steal in his own before scoring an empty netter to seal the victory.

Keith was plus-3 after being plus-4 in Saturday’s win at Columbus.

“Not only did we let them hang around, their best players dialed it up,” said Blues coach Ken Hitchcock, whose team took a 1-0 lead into the third period.

“Their best players were their best players at the end of the night. They were the guys that had the puck; they were the guys that created the scoring chances. They dialed it up, and we didn’t have an answer.”

The Blues are the best defensive team in the NHL, but they don’t have the go-to guys offensively the Hawks do.

“The way we’re structured, the way we’re built, we don’t have offensive players to carry us,” Hitchcock said. “The difference is that we had people that weren’t performers today, from the start to the finish.”

Olsen impressive:Rookie defenseman Dylan Olsen played almost 20 minutes and was plus-2 with a team-leading 6 hits.This leads to the question: What happens to Olsen when Niklas Hjalmarsson and Steve Montador return from their injuries? The Hawks also are looking to add another defenseman before the Feb. 27 trade deadline.#147;We#146;ll see, but he gives us some size and quickness back there,#148; Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. #147;He#146;s been defending well, and he moves pretty quick back there. We like his size and he plays the right side, which helps us as well.#148;Quenneville said Hjalmarsson (upper body) skated Sunday and might return Tuesday against Detroit. Hjalmarsson has missed the last six games.Scratched again:Forwards Brendan Morrison and Michael Frolik were healthy scratches again Sunday, Morrison for the fourth straight game and Frolik for the fifth.Joel Quenneville admitted Morrison is struggling to regain his game after some serious knee issues.#147;Pace is important to our team game and his team game as well,#148; Quenneville said. #147;But he#146;s been working hard and it seems there is some progress there.#147;He hasn#146;t been here long. He had a few games when we weren#146;t going along so well and it#146;s tough to walk into a team at that stage and get a good assessment of him and his ability.#148;As for Frolik, his inconsistency is keeping him out of the lineup.#147;Fro#146;s been in the same situation all year,#148; Quenneville said. #147;That consistency to his game, we need more. We need more puck possession, more speed from him, more involvement in the game.#148;Hit parade:The Hawks outhit the Blues 30-26. It was only the seventh time in 60 games they have outhit an opponent.