Hawks focus on winning not warring with Blues

Blackhawks rookie Jonathan Toews expects more rough treatment from the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night when the two teams meet at Scottrade Center.

Toews and Patrick Kane have been targets much of the season, but it was after Sunday's game against St. Louis at the United Center that Hawks coach Denis Savard called out Barret Jackman and David Backes of the Blues for what he felt were cheap shots taken on his two rookies after the whistle.

"I don't think they're going to stop anything. They've been a rugged team all year," Toews said Friday. "Maybe they're a little frustrated that they're not closer to us, but our guys aren't going to make a point of it. We're going to go out and play. That's their style of game and we're going to play our style."

The Hawks are more concerned about winning and keeping their faint playoff hopes alive than trading gloves in the face and shots behind the head with the Blues.

"Regardless of whatever happened last game, we're ticked off about the way we played against Columbus (a 4-0 loss on Wednesday)," Toews said. "We've got to play hard because of that, not because of what happened in our last game against St. Louis."

What happened last Sunday against the Blues wasn't anything that doesn't happen after most whistles around the NHL, which is to say pushing, shoving and face washes. Nobody mentioned anything until Savard went after Jackman and Backes in his postgame press conference.

"It's part of the game and it happens to everybody," Toews said. "Personally, I don't have the right to sit here and say that I'm a target, that I get it more than anybody else.

"I guess it's part of growing into the NHL and playing in this league. You've got to be able to take it," said Toews. "If you're out there making good plays and stuff like that, you're going to be on the radar of the other team and they're going to try to get you off your game. I can't complain about it. I just have to play through it."

Hawks winger Adam Burish, who has instigated a few scrums of his own after whistles this season, wasn't offended by what the Blues did against the Hawks.

"Savvy made his point," Burish said. "He wanted to protect his young players, which is how it should be. I don't think anybody thought what they did was out of line or out of the ordinary. Kane and Toews expect it. They're marked men on the ice, so of course they're going to that. That comes with the territory."

That being said, Burish is ready to deal with whatever other stuff the Blues might have in store if they were offended by Savard's comments.

"If the situation comes up where something needs to happen, we'll deal with it," Burish said. "I know we've got plenty of guys in here that are willing to deal with it if it happens, but if it doesn't we're not going to go out there looking to make something out of nothing. We still want to win hockey games here."

Dustin Byfuglien, the 6-foot-3, 246-pound winger, is ready to protect linemates Toews and Kane if it comes to that.

"You're always watching each other's backs. It doesn't matter who you're with," Byfuglien said. "We can't worry about it. If they want to do that, then hopefully they'll be spending more time in the penalty box."

Savard isn't going into Saturday's game expecting any fireworks.

"When you expect that it usually doesn't happen," Savard said. "We've got to play our game, play whistle to whistle, and play hard. That's why you've got officials on the ice, to take care of that stuff if there's such a thing."

It was the shots on Kane and Toews after whistles that the referees let go that set Savard off last weekend.

"I don't think our game should be played that way," Savard said. "I know it's a physical game. I've played it, and it's got to be physical, but we'd like to keep it clean. Things after the whistle, I stress to our players to have lots of discipline and play whistle to whistle. If they do that, we'll have no problems."

• Defenseman Cam Barker is a go to return against the Blues after missing three games with a mild concussion. With Barker healthy, Niklas Hjalmarsson was returned to Rockford to play rather than sit in the press box.

• Patrick Kane still trails Nicklas Backstrom by 1 point in the rookie scoring race (66-65). Backstrom went scoreless Thursday in Washington's 4-3 overtime win at Tampa Bay.

Saturday's faceoff

Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center, 7:30 p.m.

TV: Comcast SportsNet.

Radio: WSCR 670-AM.

The skinny: It's the eighth and final meeting of the season between the Central Division rivals, and it could turn into the nastiest. Hawks coach Denis Savard blasted Blues defenseman Barret Jackman and center David Backes after Sunday's 4-3 overtime win for what he felt were cheap shots after whistles against Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The Hawks lead the season series 4-3, but are 1-2 in St. Louis. The Hawks are just 4-for-28 on the power play against the Blues.

Player to watch: Patrick Kane. Hawks rookie has 4 goals against the Blues, who are sure to make him a target for their defensive attention.

Next game: Columbus Blue Jackets at the United Center, 6 p.m. Sunday.