43
Saad held scoreless in return
PITTSBURGH
It took all of 21 seconds for Brandon Saad’s return home to be spoiled Sunday night in Pittsburgh.
A one-time member of the Mahoning Valley Phantoms, the 21-year-old Saad was held without a point in his regular season debut at Consol Engergy Center as his Chicago Blackhawks fell 4-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Saad had a chance to impact the game immediately as Chicago coach Joel Quenneville inserted him into the starting lineup with his old linemates Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa.
Instead it was the Penguins who jumped out to a first period lead that was quickly doubled as James Neal and Lee Stempniak scored 21 seconds apart.
That wasn’t the worst news of the night for the Blackhawks.
Midway through the second period, Toews was skating with the puck along the boards when Penguins defenseman Brooks Oprik threw a body check into the Hawks’ first-line center.
He skated slowly to the bench and wouldn’t return with what the team is calling an upper body injury.
“He’s day-to-day right now, but we’ll get a better assessment tomorrow,” Quenneville said after the game.
Already without Conn Smythe Trophy winner Patrick Kane in the lineup, the defending Stanley Cup champions are experiencing life without their top forwards.
And they’re not enjoying it.
“It’s something where we’re going to have to find out about some other guys,” Quenneville said. “Maybe somebody steps up in the middle. That’s quality and quantity ice time down there and I think this time of year we want to make sure Jonny gets better and fresh.”
After the injury to Toews, Saad was shuffled between a number of different lines but he didn’t appear comfortable on any of them.
On the shift that led to the Blackhawks lone goal, Saad was on the ice with forwards Patrick Sharp and Andrew Shaw. The three did a nice job cycling the puck into a scoring position for defenseman Sheldon Brookbank.
But that’s all Chicago would have to smile about. Saad finished with a minus-2 rating in 17:17 of ice time. He also recorded two shots and one blocked shot.
He’ll have to settle for a weekend back home with a home-cooked meal instead of a team win.