San Jose Sharks at Chicago Blackhawks
6PM Central
United Center, Chicago
WGN TV/WGN Radio


RECORDS:

San Jose
25-11-5
PP—16th
PK—28th


Chicago
26-13-6
PP—13th
PK—26th


PROJECTED LINEUPS:

San Jose

Thornton-Pavelski-Marleau
Clowe-Couture-Ferriero
McGinn-Mitchell-Handzus
Winchester-Murray-DesJardins

Murray-Burns
Boyle-Vlasic
Demers-Braun

Niemi


Chicago

Stalberg-Toews-Kane
Hossa-Bolland-Frolik
Bickell-Kruger-Shaw
Brunette-Mayers-Hayes


Keith-Seabrook
Hjalmarsson-Leddy
Montador-O’Donnell

Emery


NOTES AND SCOUTING REPORT:

If Hawk GM Stan Bowman needed a measuring stick for where his team really is, this weekend’s back-to-back contests versus Detroit and San Jose provides one.

Not only are the two games against leading Western Conference teams, but they also come at a time when the Hawks are battling injury really for the first time all season. Are the Blackhawks that banged up? No more than most teams. But they have been amazingly lucky on the injury front all year until recently.

With a lineup including two players with less than 10 NHL games (Andrew Shaw and Jimmy Hayes) and two players with less than a year (Nick Leddy and Marcus Kruger) the Blackhawks struggled to find their game early on yesterday in Detroit. Were it not for the heroics of goalie Corey Crawford, the Hawks could have been blown out in the first period.

They came back strong in the third period, salvaging a tough road point.

I have heard through sources, one of the “hold-ups” on Blackhawk trades recently is a desire to see what the team has in certain prospects. This is all prudent and fine, but it also skirts the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Basically, no NHL teams win consistently, especially not in the postseason, with this much inexperience on the roster.

If Bowman et al are really serious about making a Cup run this year as opposed to putting out smoke and essentially hunkering down and not spending remaining cap room in anticipation of a lockout, then the need for some experienced, capable NHL help can’t be ignored.

One of the “sandpaper” guys signed this offseason, Dan Carcillo, is out for the season. One of the big four Hawk forwards, Patrick Sharp, is out for another few weeks. Fact is, with NHL injuries being what they are, you can pretty much count on one of those forwards being dinged up at all times. You can’t rely every night on Marian Hossa or Jonathan Toews pulling out a late goal, or Corey Crawford or Ray Emery standing on their heads.

Sure, Andrew Shaw, a player you can realistically see helping the Hawks somewhat in May, scored a lucky goal yesterday. But luck cuts both ways. And the Blackhawks are on borrowed time as far as relying on rookies.

The Sharks come in to the UC tonight off a road win at Columbus last night. They, like the Hawks, are a bit banged up as well. In light of where the Sharks are on this road trip, there is no excuse for the Hawks not to come out tonight with more jump and gain an early advantage.

Thanks for reading,


JJ

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