Hawks’ Hossa sits out Bruins game
Marian Hossa couldn’t play Saturday night against Boston because of an upper-body injury Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville stressed wasn’t serious.
“I don’t foresee this (as serious),” Quenneville said. “This is very short term.”
Hossa’s health has been a regular cause for concern since he signed with the Hawks as a free agent in 2009.
Considered one of the game’s most durable players after sitting out only 16 games in his first eight NHL seasons, Hossa now has missed 43 in his first two years with the Hawks.
Hossa, 32, signed a 12-year contract with the Hawks in 2009.
Back at it:Left wing Viktor Stalberg was hoping to pick up where he left off when he returned to the lineup against Boston.Stalberg had a terrific training camp interrupted Sept. 28, when he injured his left knee in a preseason game against Detroit colliding knee to knee with Justin Abdelkader, a hit the Hawks and Stalberg thought was borderline dirty.#147;It would have been a lot worse if I had a terrible camp and got hurt,#148; Stalberg said. #147;I would have put myself in a worse spot for the year. It#146;s obviously frustrating, but at the same I felt good about my game, and I still do. I just want to get back on the ice.#148;Stalberg got the nod at right wing on Patrick Kane#146;s line when Marian Hossa couldn#146;t play because of an upper-body injury. Stalberg figures to get more opportunities to be on the top two lines.#147;Obviously you#146;ve got to produce when you#146;re up there, but I just want to get back on the ice and get in game shape right now,#148; Stalberg said.Stalberg returned wearing a brace, which was something new for him.#147;I haven#146;t (worn one), but technology these days they#146;re pretty comfortable,#148; he said. #147;To be honest, I can#146;t really notice it at all out there.#148;Not there yet:As good as Patrick Kane has been on faceoffs early in his new career as a center, don#146;t expect him to get any of the key draws late in games or in key situations in place of Jonathan Toews.#147;I don#146;t know if that#146;s going to happen,#148; Kane said. #147;He#146;s obviously proven how good he is at faceoffs. I think he took more faceoffs than anyone in the league last year, and what am I at, 40 or 50 faceoffs? So I#146;m a long ways away from taking faceoffs from him or Bolly (Dave Bolland).#148;Decision time:With Viktor Stalberg coming off injured reserve, only Ben Smith (concussion) remains on IR.With Smith getting closer to playing, the Hawks would need to reduce the roster by one when he returns. Either that or send Smith to Rockford to get back in game shape.#147;He#146;s close, but we#146;ll know more in the next couple days whether we have to make a decision early next week,#148; Joel Quenneville said.Tip-ins:Jeremy Morin played for Rockford on Friday for the first time since suffering a concussion last January, and he scored a goal. #133; Sami Lepisto and Rostislav Olesz were scratched.