Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010
Updated 10:39 PM
By Tracey Myers
CSNChicago.com
The Chicago Blackhawks were barely into their game Sunday night when star forward Patrick Kane lay injured near the boards. As Kane was helped off, putting very little to no weight on his left leg, the Blackhawks had to regroup and respond.
They did.
Kane will be out probably a little bit after sustaining a lower-body injury that coach Joel Quenneville said is not real serious, and the Blackhawks held off the Calgary Flames 4-2 at the United Center on Sunday night.
Dave Bolland scored twice, Brent Seabrook had three assists and Corey Crawford won his sixth consecutive start for the Blackhawks.
Kane was hurt 46 seconds into Sundays contest, falling awkwardly when he was checked along the boards by Flames defenseman Cory Sarich. The Blackhawks were already without Marian Hossa (lower body) and Fernando Pisani (upper body).
NHL
Guys who are getting injured are key parts to this team. When they go down, its tough. Its a lot of offensive firepower out of your lineup, Duncan Keith said. Every team deals with that at one point or the other, but it seems like weve had a tough go of it. But weve got guys who can step up. Its just a collective team effort where everybody and get a little bit better and pick up the slack.
The Blackhawks did some of that on Sunday, when they scored all four goals on their power play. Bryan Bickell and Jonathan Toews scored on the advantage, and Bolland tapped in his first on a 5-on-3 edge.
Finally, Bolland said of his goals. Its nice to get rewarded.
The Blackhawks were giving as much as they were taking early, however, as the Flames scored on their first two power plays. Jarome Iginla and Anton Babchuk evened the game at the time, 2-2.
Toews power-play goal put the Blackhawks back up at the end of the first period. But they got in penalty trouble in the third, taking three in a row. The penalty kill, and Crawford, came up big in that sequence.
I played with him back in Norfolk (Va.), four or five years ago and hes the same. It just took time to come up and show what he can do, Bolland said. Hes been real good for us.
As for Kane's injury, just how long a little bit ends up being will be determined soon. Until then, the Blackhawks will have to depend on others to get them through this.
You dont want your star guy getting hurt, Crawford said. Hopefully hes ready to go fairly soon but the other guys, theyre able to just keep playing and step up even when we miss a guy like that.
Starting next
The Dallas Stars, with whom Marty Turco spent 10 seasons, are at the United Center on Wednesday. So does Quenneville go with Turco against his former team or Crawford, whos on a winning streak?
Well see, he said. I know I went against (going with the hot hand) the last time. Craws on a nice little roll right now but well have to give that some consideration.
Briefly
Bollands goals were his first since Oct. 16 against the Buffalo Sabres.
Quenneville said Hossa andor Pisani could be skating at some point this week.
Jordan Hendry was a healthy scratch on Sunday.
Tracey Myers is CSNChicago.com's Blackhawks Insider. Follow Tracey on Twitter @TramyersCSN for up-to-the-minute Hawks information.