Quenneville: Hossa to miss a couple of weeks
Joel Quenneville said Marian Hossa will be out a "couple of weeks" with the lower-body injury he suffered in Saturday's game against Anaheim.
The Chicago Blackhawks, who beat Toronto 7-2 on Monday at the United Center, are 3-2-1 without Hossa this season.
"I get a lot of praise of being a good two-way forward, a good defensive centerman that can play offense as well," Jonathan Toews said. "But I never sit there and forget for a second what Hoss brings to our line and how much of a help he is in that.
"He's usually the first guy back on the backcheck, he never seems to run out of energy, he always has that extra jump to get back there and help our D-men out. … He's out there making things easier on everyone out there."
Richard Panik, whom the Hawks acquired from Toronto in January, played with Toews and Andrew Shaw on Monday. He saw 13 minutes of ice time and took 1 shot on goal.
He didn't exactly get a ringing endorsement from Quenneville after the game. "He was OK," the coach said.
Hinostroza back:
Bartlett native Vincent Hinostroza, whom the Hawks called up from Rockford on Sunday, skated on the fourth line in Monday's win over Toronto. It was Hinostroza's fifth NHL game, the other four coming in October.
Hinostroza took a pass from Dennis Rasmussen and nearly scored with 14:05 to go in the first period, but his backhand attempt slid just wide of the left post. He also helped keep the puck alive on his first shift, leading to Brandon Mashinter's goal just 2:33 into the game.
"I thought he made a good play on the wall, kept his feet moving, got the puck out, got a fortunate break with the play," coach Joel Quenneville said. "Right off the bat … creates something. … Certainly was what we're looking for. Energy."
Out again:
Defenseman Erik Gustafsson was a healthy scratch for a second straight game. The 23-year-old Swede had played in 19 straight games before sitting out a 3-2 OT loss to Anaheim on Saturday.
"I think it started pretty good when I came up here in December," Gustafsson said. "First 15 games I played pretty well, and I think I can come back to that game. I think I lost something with my gap and stick and stuff like that, how to use my stick (defensively)."
Gustafsson had 8 assists in his first 15 NHL games but is without a point in his last 10. One of the more impressive helpers came on Jan. 8 when Gustafsson, from the sideboards, fed Niklas Hjalmarsson for the Hawks' first goal in a 3-1 win over Buffalo.
"We're not complaining about his game," coach Joel Quenneville said. "I just think that he wasn't as involved in the attack in the offensive part from the back end. … He hasn't been as active as he needs to be, and I think that's one area he can help our team game."
Slap shots:
Artemi Panarin said he still isn't completely over an illness that kept him out of two games last week. … The 7 goals the Hawks scored Monday tied a season high (7-5 win on Dec. 29 in Arizona). ... Bryan Bickell scored 2 goals for Rockford on Sunday in the IceHogs' 4-2 victory over Grand Rapids. Bickell hadn't scored since Jan. 18, a stretch of eight straight games. The IceHogs had lost four straight (three in OT).