Some great expectations ahead for Hawks this trip

Posted November 18, 2009 10:00 pm

By Tim Sassone

There is a lot to look forward to on the Blackhawks' six-game road trip that starts Thursday night in Calgary.

Along the way, the Hawks will come face-to-face with Willie Mitchell for the first time since the Vancouver defenseman's hit - clean, but a shot to the head, nonetheless - gave Jonathan Toews a concussion.

Marian Hossa will make his much-anticipated debut from off-season shoulder surgery.

And the Hawks should see themselves tested to the max by six dangerous teams in six difficult buildings in which to play.

"Every game is going to be tougher than the last one," Toews said.

Hello, Willie

After stops in Calgary and Edmonton to open the trip, the Hawks will pull into Vancouver on Sunday night to face the Canucks and Mitchell at GM Place.

The Canucks beat the Hawks 3-2 on Oct. 21 at the United Center in a game where the momentum changed in the third period when Mitchell, coming out of the penalty box, clocked Toews with a shoulder to the captain's chin.

The concussion that resulted kept Toews out of the lineup for six games. Toews later begrudgingly called Mitchell's hit clean but added he believed there is no place in the game for head shots.

So will Ben Eager and Colin Fraser need to put on the foil come Sunday night?

"When we go into that game our priority will be to win the hockey game and nothing else," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "Getting even on the scoreboard is the best way to get even."

Here comes Hossa

Hawks fans have been waiting to see one of the NHL's top goal scorers ever since he was signed as a free agent July 1.

Unfortunately, the wait will last about another week. Hossa said Wednesday he wouldn't play in the first three games of the trip.

Hossa has targeted next Wednesday's game in San Jose for his return from late July shoulder surgery, but it wouldn't be a surprising if he waited until Anaheim or Los Angeles.

"I'm looking forward to the end of the road trip to get back playing," Hossa said. "I'm pretty close, but not there yet. I'm getting stronger in the gym, lifting heavier weights and working on my conditioning."

Hossa has been skating a few shifts in practice with Toews and Patrick Kane.

"It's just a matter of time here before he plays," Quenneville said. "We're certainly looking forward to him being a part of it here on this trip.

"Whether he's playing with Johnny, and maybe that's who you start him with, I think there's definitely going to be an upgrade when he's on the ice as far as playmaking and puck possession."

All about the points

The Hawks begin their trip third in the Western Conference and hope to be there or higher when they return.

This is the time in the NHL schedule when teams start to separate themselves in the standings, which is exactly what the Hawks did last year beginning right about now.

"It's an important trip for us in a lot of ways," Quenneville said. "We always talk about how many teams are in the race or how competitive it's going to be to get in the playoffs. Last year we tried to stress that we don't want to be in that mix come game 82, where every game is life or death to get in.

"We have the same objective and priority this year. We want to be in first place in our division and we don't want to be in that race for 82 games. This is a great opportunity for us to enhance our situation here."

The Blackhawks get another look at Vancouver Canucks' Willie Mitchell on Sunday night. Associated Press

Blackhawks game day Calgary Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome, 8:30 p.m. Thursday TV: Comcast SportsNet Radio: WGN 720-AM What to watch: The Hawks better be ready for this one. Not only did they knock Calgary out of the playoffs last spring, the Flames certainly remember their 6-5 overtime loss at the United Center last month when they blew a 5-0 lead. The Flames are 5-1-1 in their last seven games and will see Cristobal Huet in goal for the Hawks. Season series: Hawks lead 1-0 thanks to that big comeback win in Chicago. Next: Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place, 9 p.m. Saturday.

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