Without 2 stars, Hawks in survial mode
No Marian Hossa.
No Patrick Kane.
These are serious times for the Blackhawks, who need to find a way to stay in the playoff hunt in the Western Conference without their two injured offensive stars.
Hossa won't be back from his lower-body injury for at least another week, and the Hawks said Tuesday that Kane would be sidelined for the next three weeks with the sprained left ankle he suffered Sunday against Calgary.
“Kaner is probably going to be out upwards of three weeks,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “We're hoping that's the maximum.”
The Hawks are fifth in the West with 32 points, but it's deceiving in that they have played 29 games three more than five of the teams immediately behind them and four more than the Los Angeles Kings.
Only 3 points separated fourth place from 12th in the West before Tuesday's games.
“We can't afford to just sit by and slowly go about our business,” winger Troy Brouwer said. “We need to find a way to win even with (Kane and Hossa) out. We're going to have to find a way to win games and not just tread water waiting for those guys to return.”
That certainly means the need for more secondary scoring from forwards such as Brouwer, Dave Bolland, Tomas Kopecky, Viktor Stalberg, Bryan Bickell, Jake Dowell and Jack Skille.
Quenneville maintains the Hawks must have more of a check-first attitude without Kane and Hossa in an attempt to grind out wins.
“You know that you're missing some key pieces that play quality ice time, but at the same time we know that checking is going to be at a priority and let's emphasize that,” Quenneville said.
“Those are two guys that try and control the game when they're on the ice and slow the game down,” Brouwer said. “They play a good puck-possession game and losing them we'll obviously have to find ways to keep the puck.
“We look at Kaner to make a lot of plays and create a lot of offensive opportunities, the same as Hoss. They're going to have to come from different places now and whether it's just grinding it out coming out of the corner, there might not be as many pretty plays.”
Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, there is going to be even more pressure on Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews to help carry the offense now. Sharp leads the Hawks with 16 goals with Toews second at 12.
Sharp is expected to stay at center on a line with Kopecky and rookie Jeremy Morin, who likely will be recalled from Rockford for Wednesday's game. Toews skated with Stalberg and Skille in Tuesday's practice.
“It (stinks) with Kaner out,” Sharp said. “Anytime you lose a guy like that as well as Hossa, it's going to take a big team effort.
“We need wins and there's no secret about that. We probably won't be scoring 6 or 7 goals a game, but if we keep it simple and play the way the coaches stress and talk about every day there's no reason we can't compete.”
Sharp admits the risk for himself and Toews is to try to do too much.
“It's easy to put that pressure on your shoulders and try to raise your expectations, but the reality is we're missing two good players and it's going to take a full lineup to replace that,” Sharp said. “I definitely want to do my best to carry the load with those two guys out.”
Blackhawks game day
Blackhawks vs. Dallas Stars at the United Center, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
TV: Comcast SportsNet Plus
Radio: WGN 720-AM
Game notes: Thanks to a 7-1-2 run in their last 10 games, the Stars are 16-8-2 and first in the Pacific Division and second in the Western Conference. The Stars are 28th in the NHL in penalty-killing with the Hawks coming off a 4 power-play-goal game in Sunday's win over Calgary.
Season series: First meeting. Last year's season series ended 2-2.
Next: San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion, 9:30 p.m. Saturday