Recently in Blackhawks Category

By Chris Kuc

Alex Ovechkin has been suspended for two games without pay by the NHL for his hit on Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell in Sunday's game, NHL.com reported Monday.

NHL senior executive vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell ruled that it was a "reckless" hit by Ovechkin, who received a five-minute boarding major and a game misconduct on the play.

Campbell, who sustained a broken collarbone and will be sidelined at least through the end of the regular season, was scheduled to meet with team physician Michael Terry on Monday to further assess the defenseman's injury.

By Chris Kuc

According to a source, Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell has a broken collarbone and is expected to miss at least the end of the regular season after taking a big hit during Sunday's OT loss.

Campbell was injured when he crashed his right shoulder hard into the end boards following a controversial hit by the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin. Campbell remained down on the ice for several minutes before slowly heading to the dressing room.

"Soupy is going to be out for a bit here," said Quenneville, who added Campbell would not make the three-game trip to California and Arizona when the team leaves Monday. "We'll have a better determination going forward."

Regarding the hit, which ended Ovechkin's day early with a game misconduct, Quenneville said: "It was a tough hit. A dangerous hit."

By Chris Kuc

Antti Niemi and the Blackhawks let a three-goal, third-period lead disappear and Nicklas Backstrom scored the game-winner in overtime to give the Capitals a 4-3 victory Sunday at the United Center.

Jonathan Toews and John Madden had scored to the Hawks a 3-0 lead entering the third.

Video: Alex Ovechkin receives a boarding major and is ejected from the game at 12:16 of the first period.

By Chris Kuc

At the end of a fairly eventful first period, the Blackhawks lead the Capitals 2-0 on Sunday at the United Center.

Capitals star Alex Ovechkin was tossed midway through the period for boarding Brian Campbell along the end boards and Jonathan Toews scored twice for the Hawks in front of a crowd of 22,289. There has been a lot of pushing and shoving in a physical affair between two of the NHL's top teams.

By Chris Kuc

Those fans excited to see Alex Ovechkin play against the Blackhawks didn't get much of a chance as the Capitals winger was tossed from Sunday's contest with a game misconduct for boarding Hawks defenseman Brian Campbell.

Campbell had passed the puck when Ovechkin hammered him into the boards and the Hawks veteran spent several minutes on the ice before heading to the dressing room. Ovechkin was given a five-minute boarding penalty and game misconduct that ended his day after 4 minutes 50 seconds of ice time during which he had one shot on goal.

The Hawks lead 2-0 with Jonathan Toews getting both goals.

By Chris Kuc

The Blackhawks are short-handed for their showdown against Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals on Sunday at the United Center.

Winger Marian Hossa and defenseman Kim Johnsson are both scratches with upper-body injuries. Winger Ben Eager is a healthy scratch.

The loss of Hossa is particularly damaging as the veteran was arguably the Hawks' best player on the ice during their 3-2 loss to the Flyers on Saturday. Hossa had a goal and assist in that game.

Antti Niemi is in goal for the Hawks and is opposed by Jose Theodore.

By Chris Kuc

PHILADELPHIA -- Chris Pronger scored with 2.1 seconds remaining in the third period to lift the Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the Blackhawks at Wachovia Center.

Kris Versteeg and Marian Hossa scored in the third for the Hawks. Cristobal Huet suffered the loss in goal despite a strong effort for much of the game.

The Flyers had tied the game with 2:04 left in the third period when Scott Hartnell corralled a Kimo Timonen pass near the blue line and beat Huet's stick side for his first goal since Jan. 30.

By Chris Kuc

PHILADELPHIA--In a game filled with plenty of good scoring opportunities and big hits, the Blackhawks and Flyers are scoreless after two periods Saturday at Wachovia Center.

Cristobal Huet has been terrific in goal for the Hawks, stopping all 21 Philadelphia shots. Michael Leighton, a former Hawk, has been equally solid between the pipes for the Flyers, turning aside all 27 shots by the visitors.

By Chris Kuc

PHILADELPHIA--It's a rare visit to City of Brotherly Love for the Blackhawks as they are taking on the Flyers at Wachovia Center.

After one period there is no score as Cristobal Huet is in goal for the Hawks against Michael Leighton.

This is the only meeting of the regular season between the teams and the Hawks' first game in Philadelphia since a 3-0 loss Oct. 30, 2006.

The Hawks hold a 15-12 shot advantage but both goalies have been up to the task.

By Chris Kuc

The Blackhawks wiil be early risers this weekend. They will take on the Flyers in a Saturday matinee in Philadelpha, then head back to Chicago for an 11:30 a.m., nationally televised showdown Sunday against the top team in the NHL, the Washington Capitals, at the United Center.

The games kick off a stretch of five contests in eight days for the Hawks, and includes a trip to the West Coast and Phoenix next week.

"We have some top opponents and some tough games in some tough buildings," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "We're going to Philly. We haven't been there in a while. We know they're playing better. They're one of the teams that we have to be aware of and then you come home against a very good Washington team and then we go out west. A lot of tough game. If you look at our schedule ... there are no easy games. They're all competitive right down to the end."

By Chris Kuc

The Blackhawks signed defenseman Ryan Stanton to a three-year, entry-level contact. The deal will begin at the start of the 2010-11 season.

The 20-year-old Stanton has 10 goals and 30 assists in 57 games with the Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League this season.

Tribune News Services

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Chris Chelios, the 48-year-old defenseman who has starred for Montreal, Chicago and Detroit, made his debut for the Thrashers after being called up on Wednesday from the Wolves of the AHL.

He figured into the first goal of the game -- in a bad way.

The Blue Jackets scored first for the 11th time in their last 12 games when R.J. Umberger picked up his 20th on the power play at 6:36 of the first. He took a pass from Huselius and, from a hard angle to the right of the goal cage, he flipped the puck toward the net. Chelios went to one knee to block it, but the puck ricocheted toward goalie Johan Hedberg and slipped between his leg pads.

"It's like a playoff game," said Chelios, who has played in hundreds of them. "You see how one goal can be the difference."

Check out the box score: Played 13:14 and took 1 shot.

By Bob Goldsborough

The 22-room, 16,000-square-foot Oak Brook mansion that former Blackhawks and Wolves defenseman Chris Chelios sold in 2005 is on the market for $6.9 million.

Built in 1999, the six-bedroom English Tudor-style mansion has six full baths, two half baths, a pool, a spa, a waterfall, fountains and a tennis court, all on a 1.52-acre lot.

Since Chelios, 48, sold the mansion in Oak Brook's Hunter Trails area for $4.5 million, the current owners extensively renovated the property. They replaced a hockey rink with a putting green, upgraded outdoor decks and added a sprinkler system, a lighting/audio system, a fire pit, mature trees and fountains, said listing agent Jaime Adams of Adams & Myers.

The Blackhawks' Adam Burish brawls with the Kings' Rich Clune during his first game back with the team Wednesday. (Chris Sweda/Tribune)

By Chris Kuc

It was quite a season debut for the Blackhawks' Adam Burish.

The forward recorded an assist just eight seconds into his first shift during Wednesday night's 3-2 overtime victory over the Kings and got into a fight 13 seconds after that. It made the Madison, Wis., native a goal short of the "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" of a goal, assist and fight all in one game.

"I thought about it for sure," said Burish, who held court with the media after his first game back from knee surgery. "That's what I wanted. I was telling the guys on the bench, 'I got one, I feel it, I got one coming.' It didn't happen.

"Next time you guys talk to 'Q' (Hawks coach Joel Quenneville), see if he can keep me out there ... see if I can get the goal, the fight and the assist all in one shift. Wouldn't that be cool?"

By Chris Kuc

Patrick Sharp scored on a breakaway in overtime to lift the Blackhawks to a 3-2 victory over the Kings on Wednesday night at the United Center.

It was Sharp's second goal of the night and Kris Versteeg also scored for the Hawks while Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar had goals for Los Angeles.

Antti Niemi got the win in goal for the Hawks in a duel with Jonathan Quick.

Get the full story here | Box score | Game photos

By Chris Kuc

After the Kings rallied to an early second-period lead Wednesday night, the Blackhawks have fought back on a Kris Versteeg goal and the game is tied 2-2 after two at the United Center.

Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar scored early in the second to erase a lead the Hawks held after a first-period goal by Patrick Sharp.

The Hawks hold a 29-20 shot advantage.

By Chris Kuc

It didn't take long before Adam Burish made his presence felt for the Blackhawks on Wednesday night against the Kings.

Playing in his first game of 2009-10 after recovering from knee surgery in the preseason, Burish picked up an assist and got into a fight during his first shift as the Hawks took a 1-0 over Los Angeles after one period at the United Center.

Patrick Sharp scored the Hawks goal after Burish's shot was turned aside by Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick. Burish had been on the ice for eight seconds before picking up his first point of the season. Then, 13 seconds later Burish got into a fight with the Kings' Rich Clune and as he was headed to the penalty box Burish pumped his fists.

Antti Niemi is in goal for the Hawks, who hold a 13-5 shot advantage.

By Chris Kuc

The Kings have been real road warriors lately and they make their final regular-season stop in Chicago on Wednesday night to face Antti Niemi and the Blackhawks at the United Center.

Los Angeles has won eight of its last 10 away games and is 20-12-1 away from home this season for the third-most points in the NHL in road games.

"They're a  big club," Hawks defenseman Brian Campbell said. "Lots of size (and) good speed so we're going to have to try to keep those guys from getting to the inside in a lot of areas and slow them down and make sure out counter game is good when they do make mistakes."

By Chris Kuc

The Blackhawks had Monday off to reflect on what exactly happened Sunday.

They allowed their arch rivals, the Red Wings, to overcome a two-goal, second-period deficit and hand the Hawks a 5-4 defeat at the United Center. The Hawks may hold a 17-point advantage over Detroit in the Central Division, but the Wings showed they are still a force in the Western Conference and likely will be big players when the postseason rolls around.

"They're still the team to beat in the West, I don't care what anyone says," said Hawks winger Andrew Ladd, who had his first career hat trick in the loss. "They have the lineup to do it. They've dealt with a lot of injuries this year and have managed to stay right in the playoff hunt. It was a test for us and we didn't meet that."

Photo: Ben Eager collides with Detroit's Todd Bertuzzi during Sunday's game. (Scott Strazzante/Tribune)

By Chris Kuc

On the strength of five unanswered goals, the Red Wings rallied to a 5-4 victory over the Blackhawks on Sunday at the United Center.

The Hawks led 2-0 after one period but Detroit stormed back with five goals in the second against goaltenders Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi to gain the victory.

"When you have a team like that you can't let them back in the game," said Hawks center John Madden, who had two assists. "They're going to hang around and hang around. Some of the goals we gave them -- just blatant turnovers and maybe trying to do too much."

Andrew Ladd scored three goals -- including two in the third as the Hawks tried to rally -- but it wasn't enough.

"Any time you get a lead and you throw it away ... you're throwing points away," Hawks winger Kris Versteeg said. "Those are points you definitely want. You want to be the first-place team in the league and you want to be first in your conference (but) if you keep throwing points away like that it's not going to happen."

Duncan Keith also scored for the Hawks.

By Chris Kuc

The Red Wings hit the Blackhawks with an offensive barrage and have taken a 5-2 lead after two periods Sunday at the United Center.

Entering the period ahead 2-0, the Hawks and goaltender Cristobal Huet yielded goals to Brian Rafalski, Nicklas Lidstrom, Jason Williams and Valtteri Filppula in a span of just over six minutes to fall behind. After Filppula's score, Hawks coach Joel Quenneville replaced Huet wiht Antti Niemi but he was beaten off a breakaway by Pavel Datsyuk with under three seconds remaining in the period.

Duncan Keith and Andrew Ladd have the Hawks goals.

By Chris Kuc

Duncan Keith and Andrew Ladd scored goals as the Blackhawks jumped to a 2-0 lead over the Red Wings after one period Sunday at the United Center.

Keith scored his 13th goal of the season early on when he pounced on a long rebound of a Brent Seabrook shot at the top of the left circle and fired it past Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard.

The Hawks made it 2-0 when Ladd grabbed a turnover in the Detroit zone and rifled a shot from the right circle over Howard's left shoulder. It was Ladd's 13th goal of the season.

Cristobal Huet has turned aside all nine Wings shots in goal for the Hawks.