Coach Q has the last word: Shaw sits again

Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw thought he was ready to return to action Wednesday night for Game 2 against the Kings.

Coach Joel Quenneville thought it would be a better idea to hold back Shaw's return a few more days.

Not surprisingly, the coach won that discussion.

"We want to make sure, with the way he plays, we want him more than ready," Quenneville said after Wednesday's morning skate. "A few more days and a couple more practices, we'll get him up to speed.

"He wanted to play, but we felt it was in everybody's best interest to shoot for Saturday (Game 3 in Los Anngeles)."

Though disappointed, Shaw, who has now missed seven straight games because of a lower body injury, understood Quenneville's logic.

"A few extra days rest is going to be good in the long run," he said. "(It's disappointing), but I have to do what's best for the body. I'm young and my career is just getting started so you don't want to mess anything up. These few extra days are going to be huge for my recovery."

The great ones:

Late in the first period, the United Center crowd got a big thrill when the big screen over center ice showed the Hawks ambassadors.

The camera opened on Bobby, panned to Tony, then over to Savvy, and then slowly to ...

The one and only Wayne Gretzky, who received a huge cheer from the big house.

Change in strategy?

Thanks to Colorado coach Patrick Roy, pulling the goalie earlier than usual in games seems to be catching on.

Joel Quenneville has certainly taken notice.

"I think Patrick changed the way you looked at it this year," Quenneville said "It was very successful for their team.

"It does give you something to think about. Generally we've got a pretty consistent number in our mind that we generally like to pull them. It's sometime under two minutes and it's usually in the offensive zone.

"I don't want to say it's etched in stone, but it certainly gives you something to think about when you look around the league when they pull them, and how early they're pulling them."

Play the game:

All these days between games aren't doing any wonders for either Hawks or Kings players, most of whom are creatures of habit.

"As hockey players, you just want to play every day," Kings winger Justin Williams said. "Especially when you lose - or you win, really - you just want to get back at it."

He said it:

"We love tough decisions and we look forward to it."

- Joel Quenneville on whom Andrew Shaw might replace in the lineup when he returns.