'Free shots' anger Blackhawks
By Jeremy Rutherford
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/25/2008

The Blues played a physical game against Chicago rookies Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews on Sunday, and after the Blackhawks prevailed 4-3 in overtime, Chicago coach Denis Savard claimed the Blues went over the line.

Savard unloaded on the Blues for hits he deemed illegal and late, naming Barret Jackman and David Backes among the culprits.

"I'm ticked off at a bunch of their players taking shots at us, free shots," Savard said. "After whistles, taking cross-checks behind the head, behind their backs. Jackman a few times ... Backes goes after Niklas Hjalmarsson. How tough is he? We'll figure it out someday."

On Monday, as the Blues were preparing for tonight's game against Detroit, some took exception to Savard's comments.

"Deni Savard trying to question our toughness or question our methods is beyond me," Jackman said. "He played in a day and age when there was a fight every whistle and gloves in faces. If he's got a problem with it, then he's just not looking at what he played through.

"Those are their two best players. If they want to play in this league a long time, it's going to be a situation where they're going to have to face some adversity and that's having to play through things. Kane had his stick on our goalie every whistle and Toews was standing in front of the net. If they want to go to the net, it's a physical game. Sorry that we hurt their feelings."

Backes, who fought Hjalmarsson in the first period, said, "If somebody questions how tough I am or respectful I am ... I've got (Hjalmarsson) down and I'm banging the top of his head and I could have thrown a few uppercuts in there. One ref jumps in and I stop and let the kid go. The point was proven. There's no reason to really feed the guy his lunch, ruin his face ... do anything crazy like that."

On Monday, Savard repeated his postgame remarks.

"I know that being physical is part of the game ... I understand that 100 percent," he said. "But it's after whistles ... our game doesn't need that."

Kane backed up Savard's comments.

"After the whistle they were trying to start some stuff, especially in the first period," Kane said. "They were trying to get after us to maybe send us a message. It's something teams have been doing for a while to guys like myself and Jonathan. Maybe (Sunday) night was a little worse. The (officials) came over to the bench and said, 'We know St. Louis is starting it. Next time they do we're going to give them a penalty.'"

Blues coach Andy Murray said the fact that no penalties were called should indicate something.

"I appreciate and respect what Denis says," Murray said. "He wants to protect his young players. By the same token, those young players are guys that are dangerous if we give them room and space. We're just trying to crowd them a little bit. Again, I respect what he said, but we have our own perspective on it, too."

Noting Kane's game-winning overtime goal, Murray said, "Kane scored a goal because we didn't pay enough attention to him in front of the net. So, I think our defensemen are just making sure that they don't get those extra chops at our goalie."

The Blues and Blackhawks play one more time this season, Saturday at Scottrade Center.

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