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CHICAGO -- Injured Chicago Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland and goaltender Ray Emery will not play Friday in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, coach Joel Quenneville said on Thursday.

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CHICAGO -- Injured Chicago Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland and goaltender Ray Emery are questionable for Game 2 Friday of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild. Neither played in Game 1 Tuesday, when the Blackhawks defeated the Wild 2-1 in overtime.

"I don't know about Game 2, but hopefully they will be skating (Thursday)," said coach Joel Quenneville, whose team did not practice on Wednesday. "We're hopeful on that. I don't want to comment too much on Friday right now on them."

Bolland has missed four consecutive games due to a lower-body injury. He suffered the injury against the Vancouver Canucks on April 22. He missed 13 games during season due to various injuries. He had seven goals and seven assists in 35 games in the regular season.

Emery has missed three consecutive games with a lower-body injury. He suffered the injury against the Edmonton Oilers on April 24. He is 17-1-0 with a 1.94 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage this season.

Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford made 26 saves in Chicago's Game 1 victory, and he was backed up by Henrik Karlsson, who was recently recalled from the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland and goaltender Ray Emery will not play against the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Tuesday because of lower-body injuries.

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CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland (lower-body injury) and goaltender Ray Emery (lower body) will miss Friday’s game against the Calgary Flames and are considered day to day, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

Quenneville also said neither would travel for Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues.

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CHICAGO -- In a season where Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane hasn’t had the luxury of skating with consistent linemates, he has been more consistent than anyone offensively on the Blackhawks. His linemates have often changed from game to game, but he’s continued to rack up points and still ranks among the league’s leaders in goals and assists.

“I’ve always been a guy who doesn’t think it matters who you play with,” said Kane, who leads the Blackhawks and is tied for fourth in the NHL with 51 points. “I think as long as you’re working hard, you’re supporting each other, trying to make the right plays and simple plays, you’re going to have success. That’s what I’ve tried to stress to either one of my linemates.”

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville’s plan entering the season was utilize Kane alongside Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland on the second line. Quenneville has been able to execute that plan in just 18 games. Because of various injuries, Sharp and Bolland have combined to miss 28 games.

In their place, Quenneville has mixed and matched a variety of linemates with Kane. Kane has started games with 10 different pairings and skated with nine different players on the second line.

Aside from the 18 games with Bolland and Sharp, Kane has started nine games with Bolland and Jimmy Hayes, seven games with Sharp and Marcus Kruger, three games with Bolland and Kruger, two games with Kruger and Daniel Carcillo, one game with Bolland and Michael Frolik, one game with Bolland and Carcillo, one game with Bolland and Bryan Bickell, one game with Sharp and Andrew Shaw and one game with Bolland and Viktor Stalberg.

Despite all the changes, Kane’s play hasn’t fluctuated. He’s recorded a point in 33 of his 44 games this season. He once went three games without a point and once two games. Other than that, he’s bounced back six times with a point after not having one the game before.

Kane has had two eight-game point streaks and another of five games. He had 10 points in seven games in January, 14 points in 13 games in February, 18 points in 14 games in March and currently has nine points in 10 games in April. He started April off slow, but has registered five points in his last three games.

“I think there’s been some injuries obviously to both of my linemates,” said Kane, who has 21 goals and 30 assists. “There’s been certain guys who have played well in those roles, certain guys I have kind of clicked off with. I know it’s changed a little bit, but for me, personally, just try to work hard, find my game where it was at the beginning of the season and get back to that level.”

Quenneville has been impressed with Kane from the start of the season to the end of it. Quenneville recently said he thought Kane and Jonathan Toews were worthy of Hart Memorial Trophy consideration.

“I think all year long he’s been productive,” Quenneville said of Kane last week. “That line has a lot of different looks on it be it your centerman, be it your left winger. He’s played [with] some different [lines.] He keeps doing his thing.

“It seems like he’s got the puck a lot. He’s a threat. He gives the opponent something to be concerned about when he’s on the ice. When you got that 1-2 punch [in lines,] I think that makes us a different type of team.”

Chicago Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland traveled Saturday with the team to St. Louis for its tilt Sunday against the Blues, according to a team spokesperson.

Bolland, who has seven goals and seven assists in 30 games this season, has missed the last four games with a foot injury. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Friday he was hopeful Bolland would play against the Blues.

Bolland’s return would give the Blackhawks a completely healthy roster. The Blackhawks have enjoyed that just once this season, in the season opener against the Los Angeles Kings.

Among the significant injuries: Daniel Carcillo (lower body, 15 games); Patrick Sharp (upper body, 14 games); Marian Hossa (upper body, six games); Bolland (upper body, five games, and lower body, four games); and Corey Crawford (upper body, four games).

Bolland is expected to return to the second line alongside wings Patrick Kane and Sharp. Quenneville said Friday he has liked how that line has played together this season.

“I think [Bolland], that line throughout the year has been consistent,” Quenneville said. “I think it can contribute on both sides of the puck. [Kane] has had a position on that group, probably play with a lot of different guys, can use him in a lot of different areas, as well.”

“Also, you’re talking about any line,” he said, “I think we’re comfortable with the contributions we’re getting and what they’re bringing to our team game. So, we believe that could be a real good fit for us.”

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks center Dave Bolland practiced Thursday, but will not play against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday due to a foot injury.

Bolland has missed three games with the injury. He took a slap shot off his foot in the first period against the Nashville Predators on April 1 and missed the remainder of the game. He played in the Blackhawks' following game on April 4 and hasn't played since.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville is hopeful Bolland would return to game action over the weekend. The Blackhawks travel to face the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

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Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp will travel with the team to Minnesota and might play for the first time in 14 games on Tuesday against the Wild.

Forward Dave Bolland won't travel with the team and remains out with a lower-body injury.

Sharp hasn't played since suffering an upper-body injury against the Colorado Avalanche on March 6. He has five goals and 13 assists in 24 games this season.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Sunday the Blackhawks have been cautious with Sharp's return.

"It'll be nice to get him going here," Quenneville said of Sharp before Sunday's game. "We probably added a couple extra days here to his time away. He's been skating well, and he wants to play. Look forward to getting him in the lineup because it gives us a lot more options with the lines as well."

Bolland has missed two games with a lower-body injury. He has seven goals and seven assists in 30 games this season.

Quenneville said Sunday that Bolland's injury is not serious.

The Blackhawks clinched a playoff spot with Sunday's 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators. The Blackhawks are in first place in the Western Conference with a 29-5-4 record and 62 points.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks forwards Dave Bolland and Patrick Sharp will not play against the Nashville Predators on Sunday, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

Sharp will miss his 13th game since suffering an upper-body injury against the Colorado Avalanche on March 6. He has five goals and 13 assists in 24 games this season.

Quenneville said Sharp was close to playing, and there was a “good chance” Sharp would travel with the team when the Hawks play the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.

“It’ll be nice to get him going here,” Quenneville said of Sharp before Sunday’s game. “We probably added a couple extra days here to his time away. He’s been skating well, and he wants to play. Look forward to getting him in the lineup because it gives us a lot more options with the lines as well.”

Bolland will miss his second consecutive game with a lower-body injury. He has seven goals and seven assists in 30 games this season.
Quenneville said “we’ll see” when asked if Bolland would travel to Minnesota.

“We don’t think it’s serious,” Quenneville said of Bolland’s injury.

The Blackhawks (28-5-4, 60 points) host the Predators (15-16-8, 38 points) at the United Center at 6 p.m. The Blackhawks defeated the Predators 1-0 in Nashville on Saturday.

NASHVILLE -- Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said goaltender Ray Emery would get the start against the Nashville Predators on Saturday.

It will be Emery’s 15th start of the season and his first since a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on March 29. That loss dropped Emery’s record to 12-1-0 this season.

Forwards Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland did not travel with the team to Nashville, and Quenneville would not say whether either would be available for the back end of the home-and-home series on Sunday in Chicago.

Sharp will miss his 13th game since sustaining an upper-body injury on March 6 against Colorado. Bolland did not return to Monday night’s game against Nashville after blocking a shot off the stick of Predators defenseman Shea Weber in the first period, but he logged 12:57 of ice time and was a minus-2 in Thursday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues. Quenneville expected Marcus Kruger to take over second-line center duties in place of Bolland.

“I think Krugs will probably be in there today,” Quenneville said.

The Predators will also have a slightly different look from the teams’ most recent meeting after trading forward Martin Erat and prospect Michael Latta on Wednesday to the Washington Capitals for forward Filip Forsberg, the 11th overall pick in the 2012 draft.

“Whether it’s (Erat) or any of the forwards, they play the same way,” Quenneville said. “They come at you, they’re relentless, they check well. They’re a tight group, the five guys, they all seem to move together. No matter who’s in or out of those lines and that role, you can expect a hard-working type of team that gets to the net.”

Chicago Blackhawks forwards Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland will not travel with the team for Saturday's game against the Nashville Predators, the team announced through its Twitter account Friday.

Sharp has missed 12 games since suffering an unspecified upper-body injury against the Avalanche on March 6. He has five goals and 13 assists in 24 games this season.
He said Wednesday he is close to returning.

Bolland has an unspecified lower-body injury, according to the team.

Bolland left Monday's game with Predators in the first period after being hit in the foot by a shot. He returned Thursday and played 23 shifts and 12:57 against the St. Louis Blues. He has seven goals and seven assists in 30 games this season.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks center Dave Bolland is considered day to day after leaving Monday’s game with a lower-body injury, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

Bolland left the game in the first period after blocking a shot from Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber. Bolland went to the locker room and did not return the game. He played eight shifts and 5:39.

Bolland, who has been on the second line, has seven goals and seven assists in 29 games this season. He scored twice in the Blackhawks’ 7-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.

Bolland missed five games in late February and early March due to an upper-body injury.

DETROIT -- Here’s a quick look at the Chicago Blackhawks' 7-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena on Sunday.

How it happened: The Blackhawks were all over the Wings early and often at the start of the first and second periods to win for just the second time in their last five games. Chicago opened things up with three goals on its first three shots of the game, spread out over just a minute and 39 seconds apart. That was followed by a pair of goals eight seconds apart to start the second period as the Blackhawks coasted to their third win in three tries over Detroit. The other two meetings between the teams resulted in identical 2-1 overtime wins for Chicago.

Line of the game: Chicago’s “new” top line of Brandon Saad, Jonathan Toews and Michael Frolik, who’s filling in for an injured Marian Hossa, was all that. The line combined for seven points -- three goals and four assists -- and finished a plus-9. Saad led the way with a pair of goals and an assist, while Toews had a goal and two assists. Frolik added an assist. All three players were a plus-3.

More players of the game: Dave Bolland netted a pair of goals on two shots after going 14 straight without one. Goalie Corey Crawford made 33 saves, losing his bid for his third shutout of the season and eighth of his career with 33 seconds left to play in the third period.

What it means: The Blackhawks’ chase for the Presidents’ Trophy, which is awarded to the team that finishes with the most points in the league, got back on track with the win. Chicago now has 55 points this season, just a point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, who lead the Eastern Conference.

What’s next: The Blackhawks host the Nashville Predators on Monday at 7:30 p.m..

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks center Dave Bolland will play Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild after missing the previous five games due to an upper-body injury.

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CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford was cleared to play Friday and will back up Ray Emery against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

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