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Canwest News Service
Despite displays of diplomacy, a sideshow could steal some of the spotlight from the main event Sunday night at GM Place.
The focus should be on the return of Daniel Sedin after the winger missed 18 games with a fractured left foot. It should be on the Vancouver Canucks getting healthier and having just two losses this season on home ice. And it should be on the Chicago Blackhawks reeling off six-straight victories- including road wins in Calgary and Edmonton where they outscored the opposition 12-3 – and rekindling a rivalry that has only increased since the the Blackhawks bounced the Canucks in the postseason.
Then again, boys will be boys and Willie Mitchell might be in the crosshairs.
The Canucks defenceman levelled Jonathan Toews with a devastating third- period shoulder check on Oct. 21 at Chicago that concussed the Blackhawks captain during a 3-2 Vancouver victory. Toews missed six games and his coach Joel Quenneville called the centre-ice collision a clean hit. After exiting the penalty box, Mitchell caught Toews with his head down at 5:48 of the final frame to fuel the Great Debate about retribution.
"To be honest, it's just hockey and as far as I'm concerned, it's done already," Mitchell said following the morning skate Sunday. "I don't want to talk about it and it's not something that needs to be talked about. It's in the past."
For his part, Toews isn't vowing revenge as the Blackhawks look to improve to 3-0 on a six-game road trip. Following a 5-2 win in Edmonton on Saturday in which he scored twice, Toews sounded like he wanted to avenge the October loss more – even though he hinted that the memory of the hit may carry over.
"It has to a little bit," said Toews. "What happened happened and I'm not going to worry about anybody on their team – I just want to take it to them."
While the Blackhawks have more than a few players willing to exact revenge on Mitchell, don't expect Toews to target Mitchell. That's not his game.
"Most guys, if they could, would go back and fight the guy," Toews told reporters. "I'm not looking for any retribution like that. Obviously, I want to play a great game and show them something like that isn't going to change the way I play. I felt great in the last five games. I haven't thought about going to the corners tentatively for one second. I'm just going to go right in there and mix it up and play my game."
Then again, if push comes to shove, the Canucks have fourth-liners Tanner Glass and Rick Rypien ready to answer the bell. Glass is 3-2-1 in bouts this season and Rypien is 5-0.
"I think it was a clean hit and they know that," said Glass. "Of course. If they do want to try to get retribution for that hit, there are a few guys on this squad who will be ready to step in and put our two cents in as well."
Meanwhile, the bigger focus tonight should be the return of the intact top Canucks line.
As much as Henrik and Daniel Sedin are expected to pick up where they left off after a strong start to the season with a combined 10 points in the first four games, Alex Burrows may benefit the most. The winger has just an empty-net goal in his last 17 games and played through a hip flexor and groin ailments the last three weeks while trying to regain his form. Burrows has just four goals in 22 games, a far cry from the career-high 28 he had last season – most of it when he joined the twins Feb. 10.
"Obviously, Danny and Hank like to have those little give-and-go plays and they like to work their magic off the cycle," said Burrows. "It's the same thing for me. I feel fine and the legs are going, but I have to keep going to the net and hopefully get some greasy ones [goals] and get them the puck off the forecheck."
Daniel expects that it will take some time to find his stride.
"It's been six weeks and I haven't skated that much," he said. "It will take a few games to get back to normal."
Roberto Luongo expects the Blackhawks to take their normal approach tonight. That means gaining time and space and making life miserable for defenders. Patrick Kane is riding a nine-game point streak and Toews showed Saturday that his game hasn't been affected by his concussion.
"I expect to be tested," said the Canucks goaltender. "We can't give those guys any room. A lot of them are on the smaller side and if you give them room, they can make plays. We have to be physical."
Which might be easier said than done. Mitchell said taking away time and space can often lead to problems defending elite forwards, especially those who skate as well as the Blackhawks and have quick releases.
"Taking time and space away from those players – that's when you go running toward them and that's when they're really effective," warned Mitchell. "It opens up all the ice behind you which creates the 2-on-1. You have to deny them the puck, but if they get it don't be overly aggressive."
