Hawks looking to pull away from pack

It was about this time last season when the Blackhawks took off and established themselves as one of the top teams in the NHL.

The Hawks were 7-4-5 when they left on their annual circus trip that saw them go 3-2-1. They carried that momentum into December and soon reeled off a club-record nine-game winning streak to separate themselves from the pack in the Western Conference.

With one more home game before this year's circus trip, the Hawks are hoping to follow a similar script. They took a 10-5-2 record into Friday's game against Toronto.

"Our goal again is to create a gap on some of these teams," Captain Jonathan Toews said.

"We've had a decent start to the season," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "We've had a very favorable home schedule here and we've taken advantage of it. We know we've got a tough trip coming up."

The Hawks have been able to battle on through some key injuries to Toews, Marian Hossa, Dave Bolland, Ben Eager and Adam Burish.

"We've got some depth on our team," Quenneville said. "If you look up front with the number of forwards we have and all the options we do have, we can mix a lot of lines together.

"Our defense has been very consistent and very effective in a lot of ways. I think that's been a real staple for us. Our production is down, but at the same time our team game has been consistent."

On the clock: If Andrew Ebbett can't cut it at center on a consistent basis in the absence of the injured Dave Bolland, there's always Marian Hossa, right?

Well, maybe.

Joel Quenneville has tinkered with the idea using Hossa at center, although the plan right now it so play Hossa at his customary right wing when he returns from shoulder surgery.

"We want him playing first and let him get comfortable with his game," Quenneville said. "We'll see if that's even an option. On a need basis, maybe that's something you entertain later on, but that's not in the foreseeable suture."

Quenneville has a lot of options before using Hossa at center in Ebbett, Kris Versteeg, Patrick Sharp and Tomas Kopecky.

Ebbett is getting his big chance, centering the second line for Versteeg and Patrick Kane. He might not have too much longer to prove he deserves to stay in the lineup with Hossa's return nearing.

So what does Quenneville need to see from Ebbett?

"I don't want to say necessarily production," Quenneville said. "I just think being consistent and filling that spot. It's a great opportunity there to play with those guys. We'll see how he handles it, but there's a lot of options to go in there if things are just OK."