Shaw hardly satisfied with his play

Even though Andrew Shaw has been relatively safe from all the line shuffles of late, it doesn't mean the young center is satisfied with his play.

At all.

"I still have to keep working for it; I have to earn my ice," Shaw said. "I don't think I've played to the best of my ability this year.

"I haven't been going to the dirty areas as much as I like. I haven't been playing the best defensively either so I have to tighten both those areas up."

As for his play defensively, Shaw, who was on the ice for 2 of Washington's second-period goals Friday, might be heartened to know that his coach has seen improvement in that part of his game.

"I think he's been better the last couple of games," Joel Quenneville said. "He's still working on that role and the job description of playing down low in our own end - which is very demanding.

"If you nail that part, you don't have to spend as much time in your own end."

The numbers:

Duncan Keith skated in his 700th game in a Blackhawks uniform Friday against Washington, and celebrated by notching his third goal of the season in the opening minute of the second period.

In his 700 regular-season games, the two-time Norris Trophy winner had 68 goals, 310 assists and has averaged 25:18 of ice time.

Keith ranks fifth among active NHL defensemen in points through 700 games, and is one of only four defensemen since 1999-2000 to record 378-plus points in 700 games

He has also garnered 54 points in 93 playoff games, has a plus-18 rating and his average ice time is bumped up to 27:22.

Making an impression:

Brandon Saad, who was elevated to the second line after Patrick Sharp was injured Tuesday in Montreal, opened the scoring Friday at 17:12 of the first period with a one-timer off a perfect pass from Marian Hossa.

"It felt really good; the team's been struggling at home," Saad said of his second goal of the season. "Hoss made a great play on that one."

That's exactly the type of play Joel Quenneville is looking for in the absence of Sharp.

"Certainly it affects the line combinations and we really liked the way things were going in the Montreal game," Quenneville said. "Saader gets a chance to move up."

He said it:

"They're nice. They're warm. I'd like to take it off now because I'm indoors."

- Kris Versteeg on the Blackhawks' official Winter Classic knit hats which were handed out to the players after the morning skate.