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Blackhawks looking for a power play spark

Joel Quenneville promised changes would be coming to his team's power-play units and he was true to his word as the Blackhawks practiced at Johnny's IceHouse East on Tuesday.

After going 1-for-11 in the past two games with the man advantage, Quenneville mixed up the two units by inserting Ryan Hartman for Artem Anisimov and pairing Nick Schmaltz with Patrick Kane. Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith rounded out that group.

The other unit consists of Jonathan Toews, Brandon Saad, Richard Panik, Alex DeBrincat and Duncan Keith.

That's quite a different look from two weeks ago when Kane, Toews, Sharp, Saad and Keith were together, and Schmaltz, Panik, Anisimov, DeBrincat and Seabrook were on the second team.

"We wanted to keep the lines together," Quenneville said. "We'll see how that works."

There were plenty of one-time attempts during practice from Toews, Kane, Schmaltz and DeBrincat. Seabrook also wasn't afraid to let loose as the big D-man peppered Anton Forsberg with 4 shots over the course of two run-throughs. Just like he said in the preseason, Quenneville reiterated that he'd like to see Seabrook shoot more in these situations.

"When you're at the top, sometimes you feel like there's that play on the side where something better can develop," Quenneville said. "I think the best shot is from the middle and coming from there. His shot is so heavy that it's dangerous. Don't pass up that middle shot."

Quenneville likes how the Hawks have entered the zone on the power play, but doesn't like how his team takes so long to find the perfect shot.

"(That's) where we've been getting slowed down a little bit," Quenneville said. "We feel like we have a lot of motion in our 5-on-5 game. Don't stay stationary or predictable."

Fourth-line switch:

Tanner Kero, who centered Patrick Kane's line in the 2-1 OT victory over Nashville on Saturday, did not skate on the top four lines at practice Tuesday. Nick Schmaltz returned to the second line, and the fourth line was centered by Tommy Wingels with Lance Bouma and John Hayden on the wings.

"Wings last year said he played a lot of center and we like what he's brought," Joel Quenneville said. " (Kero has) been fine. He's predictable. I think Wings gives us some experience as well. It's a good situation to have."

Back in the booth:

Eddie Olczyk, who is undergoing treatment for colon cancer, plans to return to the TV booth Wednesday at St. Louis when the Hawks play the Blues. Mike "Doc" Emrick will do the play-by-play. Olczyk also hopes to call Thursday's game with Pat Foley at the United Center when the Hawks play Edmonton.

"We're always thinking of Edzo," Quenneville said. "It's great to see him back up there. ... We wish him nothing but the best."

Scouting report

Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center, 7 p.m. Wednesday

TV: NBCSN

Radio: WGN 720-AM

The skinny: St. Louis (4-2-0) got off to a roaring start by winning its first four games, but stumbled at Florida and Tampa Bay, scoring just 3 goals in those 2 losses. Coach Mike Yeo wasn't all that upset by how his team played, though. "Even the two games that we lost were very winnable games for us," Yeo told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "We were in those games. We grabbed the lead in Florida and lost it quickly, but I think we beat ourselves in those situations." … Alex Pietrangelo and Jaden Schwartz lead the team with 8 points (each has 2 goals and 6 assists), while Vladimir Tarasenko has 4 goals. Tarasenko has been remarkably consistent the past three seasons with 37, 40 and 39 goals. … The Hawks went 3-2-0 vs. the Blues last season. ... Corey Crawford starts in net for the Hawks.

Next: Edmonton Oilers at United Center, 7:30 p.m. Thursday

- John Dietz

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