It sounds like Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville is getting closer to removing the "experiment" tag from Patrick Kane playing center instead of right wing after seeing a lot of good things from the move in the first six games.

Kane has looked pretty good in the middle on the second line, especially when placed with star forward Marian Hossa on the right wing. Hossa and Kane are both playmakers with a knack for setting up scoring chances and they're finding plenty of room to work thanks to the gritty efforts of left winger Daniel Carcillo.

It Kane's defense that had some concerned about the move, but he's been solid and knows how to use quickness with the stick to backcheck in the defensive zone. He's also holding his own in face-offs.

"We like the way he plays," Quenneville said. "Defensively you're comfortable with him and offensively a lot of good things have been happening – especially that combo with him and (Hossa). I believed that it could very well happen (all along), that he's that type of player that could adapt to that situation – especially since he's been a center his whole life. Immediately it looked like he was comfortable down low, so we've been pleased."

If it works long-term, at least for the rest of this season, it could turn out to be a brilliant move by the Hawks -- who appeared to need a second line center via free agency or trade. Now, with Kane doing the job, it gives Hawks general manager Stan Bowman a little more flexibility with the roster.

Kane hasn't scored a point in a couple of games, however, so he's looking to break out again on Saturday night against the visiting Colorado Avalanche.

The Hawks are unveiling statues of team legends Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita before the game outside the United center, but Kane said he isn't daydreaming of having his own someday.

"Right now, I'm just trying to get back on the score sheet after two games," he said, laughing. "I'm not really worried about a statue."

Sean O'Donnell and Steve Montador have provided some steady play along the blue line as the third pairing for Chicago and the Blackhawks' depth on the back end is starting to take shape because of it.

O'Donnell, who just turned 40, is still in great shape and has proven to be a steady presence at both ends of the ice, while Montador's play has picked up considerably since the preseason ended.

"He's really progressed," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said after Saturday's morning skate at United Center. "His training camp was ordinary and as soon as the regular season started his play picked up. Defensively, he's responsible and gives us some quickness coming out of our end. He's got a big shot off the point and looks to make plays as well. Overall that pair's been very steady for us, which is what we're looking for."

Montador has one assist and a plus-3 rating through Chicago's first six games, while O'Donnell has a pair of assists and is a plus-2.

CHICAGO – They haven't even played 10 games yet, so is it too early for the Chicago Blackhawks to take a peek at how the red hot Detroit Red Wings are doing?

"No, it's not," Hawks star forward Patrick Kane said following Chicago's morning skate Saturday, prior to playing the Colorado Avalanche at the United Center. "Starts are huge, especially in (the Western Conference). Last year, we didn't get off to a good start and it kind of cost us a little bit. This conference is so tough to get into the playoffs. It's definitely not too early to be looking over and seeing how they're doing and how other teams are doing in the West."

How are the Red Wings doing?

Well, they're a perfect 5-0-0 heading into a road game against the undefeated Washington Capitals on Saturday night – which ties Detroit's franchise record set in 1972.

The thing is, the Blackhawks are 4-1-1 themselves and right on the Red Wings' heels in the Central Division. Could this be an early foreshadowing of a nip-and-tuck division race between the two Original Six rivals?

The Hawks think so, and they have noticed how well Detroit has started off.

"You see them winning a lot of games and they're pretty dominant right now," Kane said. "It definitely makes you want to keep pace with them if not go past them. Detroit's always kind of been our (barometer) of how we're doing in the season and it'll probably stay that way this year."

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville agreed.

"We played (Detroit) a couple times in the pre-season and you know with their personnel, they've got all the right ingredients and they know how to win and they're a good team and they're going to be a good team," Quenneville said. "You know they're going to be around, and it's going to be a competitive division, but we've still got to take care of our own business. I'm sure when we see them it will be an exciting game."

Especially if both teams remain close in the standings – last year, the Hawks were defending Stanley Cup champions and appeared to struggle with the short summer that accompanies the feat. They also had a lot of roster changes because of salary-cap problems and the new faces who were brought in took a while to settle into their roles.

As it turned out, the Hawks needed help just to make the playoff field as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. This year, Chicago again brought in a handful of new players -- but the new group seemingly fits right into what the Hawks' plans.

As a result, there seems to be more chemistry sooner and the Hawks' play on the ice is benefiting from it.

"Right now, you've got all your pieces in place," Quenneville said. "(Last year) everybody was initially looking for their place and it took too long for that group to maybe be comfortable in their roles or their areas where they were on the team. This year, it just seems like everybody is comfortable with where they're at."

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty could return to the lineup Tuesday but that might be optimistic.

Doughty is eligible to come off injured reserve and play against the New Jersey Devils that night but the club is being cautious with the former Norris Trophy finalist.

"We'll keep pushing it, but we're going to make sure that he's 100 percent strong," Kings coach Terry Murray said after his team's morning skate Saturday. "But I would anticipate this coming week, in my mind, that he's going to get into a game. Whether it's the beginning or near the end, I don't know."

Doughty skated for a second straight day Saturday and was feeling good but he was uncertain if Tuesday was realistic.
"I want to get back as soon as possible, but at the same time I don't want to get back and re-injure it," Doughty said.

"We're going to be safe with it but I've been progressing every day and it's been pretty fast as well … I really want to play Tuesday, but it's kind of up to the training staff."

Doughty injured his right shoulder when he was hit by Philadelphia's Zac Rinaldo on Oct.15. Saturday marked one week since the play, and Doughty said he hasn't been able to shoot yet.

He was carrying the puck through the middle of the Flyers' zone and didn't see Rinaldo. It was ironic because Doughty had warned his teammates about Rinaldo before the game.

"It was my fault," Doughty said. "I knew what kind of player he was. He played in my hometown in London (Ontario), and I knew what he was all about. I knew before the game that he was going to be headhunting and whatnot. I just kind of lost the puck for a second there, and that's when he got me."

Doughty said the play won't make him change his freewheeling style.

"Obviously I wish I could have it back and maybe dump the puck," he said. "But it's part of the game. I thought it was a clean hit."

When Doughty returns the Kings will have to send another defensemen down, and Murray said he wasn't certain of that decision. It would presumably be rookie Slava Voynov, but Murray likes Voynov's offense and he could assign Davis Drewiske instead.

Chemistry with Gagne-Kopitar: The plan going into the season was to reunite Simon Gagne with Mike Richards because the two played together in Philadelphia, but Gagne has developed chemistry playing with Anze Kopitar on the first line.

Murray tried it during the preseason when Richards wasn't in the lineup, and he liked the puck possession game the Gagne-Kopitar-Justin Williams line showed.

"I took a look at it and thought, ‘Maybe take another shot at this and see where it starts to go," Murray said. "I sense good chemistry and a good feeling with those two guys. It doesn't surprise me that there is good chemistry. Simon Gagne, in my time with him, is a world-class player."

Quick's streak: Murray will stick with the same lineup Saturday and that of course includes goalie Jonathan Quick, who carries a shutout streak of 128 minutes, 10 seconds that began in the third period of the Oct.15 game against Philadelphia.

Unlike the unofficial baseball code of not talking to a pitcher during a no-hitter, there is no such rule during a shutout streak with the usually soft-spoken Quick.

"He's a pretty chill guy," left wing Ethan Moreau said. "You can talk to him during the game. It's nice to have a goalie you can have a conversation with."

Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan on Friday didn't name a goalie for Saturday but he indicated that backup Andrew Raycroft would play at some point during the final two games of their road trip.

Here are the projected lineups for both teams:

DALLAS

Brenden Morrow - Mike Ribeiro - Michael Ryder
Steve Ott - Jamie Benn - Loui Eriksson
Eric Nystrom - Vernon Fiddler - Radek Dvorak
Krys Barch - Tom Waddell - Adam Burish

Alex Goligoski - Mark Fistric
Stephane Robidas - Sheldon Souray
Trevor Daley - Nicklas Grossman

Andrew Raycroft
Kari Lehtonen

LOS ANGELES

Simon Gagne - Anze Kopitar - Justin Williams
Dustin Brown - Mike Richards - Dustin Penner
Ethan Moreau - Jarret Stoll - Brad Richardson
Kyle Clifford - Trevor Lewis - Kevin Westgarth

Jack Johnson - Rob Scuderi
Willie Mitchell - Slava Voynov
Matt Greene - Alec Martinez

Jonathan Quick
Jonathan Bernier

Here are the potential lineups for the Flyers and Blues heading into tonight's game in Philadelphia. We stress potential because the Flyers didn't practice line rushes, while the Blues didn't skate after beating the Hurricanes in overtime last night in St. Louis.

FLYERS

Brayden Schenn - Claude Giroux - Jaromir Jagr
James van Riemsdyk - Matt Read - Wayne Simmonds
Scott Hartnell - Danny Briere - Jakub Voracek
Maxime Talbot - Sean Couturier - Andreas Nodl

Chris Pronger - Matt Carle
Kimmo Timonen - Braydon Coburn
Andrej Meszaros - Andreas Lilja

Ilya Bryzgalov will be back in goal, with Sergei Bobrovsky backing him up.

These are the lines the Flyers used at practice Friday, but coach Peter Laviolette said after that practice that the lines he used Friday might or might not be in place for the game.

There's a chance Jody Shelley could make his season debut in place of Nodl on the fourth line, and Matt Walker is an option on defense in place of Lilja.

BLUES

Chris Stewart - Vladimir Sobotka - David Backes
Alexander Steen - Jason Arnott - Jamie Langenbrunner
T.J. Oshie - Patrik Berglund - Matt D'Agostini
Evgeny Grachev - Scot Nichol - Chris Porter

Kent Huskins - Alex Pietrangelo
Barret Jackman - Kevin Shattenkirk
Carlo Colaiacovo - Roman Polak

The starting goalie is in question, as coach Davis Payne wouldn't commit to either Brian Elliott, who was impressive stopping 27 of 29 shots in last night's win, or Jaroslav Halak.

For more on tonight's game, check out the preview here.

Contact Adam Kimelman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @NHLAdamK

BOSTON – When he crashed into the end boards in Chicago a week ago, Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid could not imagine what was in store for him.
   
Although he appeared to avoid a concussion, doctors haven't been able to pinpoint exactly what's wrong with him, so McQuaid's injury has been treated like a concussion. For the most part, it's been classified as a neck injury.

He started practicing with the team early in the week, but was then pulled out for a couple days.
   
The optional skate at TD Garden this morning in preparation for the Bruins' game with the San Jose Sharks was his second straight day back on the ice.
   
"I'm actually feeling really good. So it's been a bit of a process to get back to where I'm at right now. I'm feeling good and we'll see from here, I'm not really sure for tonight or anything like that," said McQuaid after he stayed on the ice a little longer than the rest of his teammates.
   
Coach Claude Julien said that McQuaid's status was still up in the air as of this morning. Once McQuaid gets medical clearance, the coach can then reconsider inserting him back in the lineup.

For now, second-year defenseman Steven Kampfer is filling that spot as the team's No. 6 defenseman. And McQuaid's frustrating start to the season, which started with an illness that scratched him from the Bruins' first game, continues.

"That's the thing that there's been a few different things – being sick before this – so we're not really sure what's causing what, so we had to rule out different things," said McQuaid about the frustration. "So that's probably slowed things down a little bit as far as not knowing it's this so we can treat exactly this. But I'm feeling good now and moving forward."

The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs will both have a significant hole in their respective lineups in their Original Six showdown tonight at the Bell Centre.

For the Canadiens, coach Jacques Martin announced that center Scott Gomez will be gone for at least a week with an upper-body injury.

Gomez left a 3-1 loss Thursday night in Pittsburgh in the first period, attempted to come back on the ice and quickly left again. He had an MRI on Friday, but Martin said it is unclear exactly how long he will be missing.

For the Maple Leafs, coach Ron Wilson said center Tyler Bozak is a game-time decision after he stopped a Johnny Boychuk slap shot with his foot in a 6-2 loss Thursday night to the Bruins in Boston. Bozak came out for the morning skate but left quickly, clearly limping on his way to the dressing room.

Wilson said Clarke MacArthur is also a game-time decision with an undisclosed injury, but he took part in the entire skate this morning and looks as though he should be able to play after missing the game in Boston.

If Bozak can't go, local boy Matthew Lombardi will take his spot on a line between Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul, the two most productive forwards in Leafs lineup.

"We'll see what happens with the lineup tonight, there are still some decisions to be made," Lombardi said. "I don't want to start talking about it and then it doesn't happen. But I'll be ready to play wherever. We all have to be ready after a tough game last game."

The Canadiens loss of Gomez provides an opportunity for young centers David Desharnais and Lars Eller to take on a more significant role. That's especially true of Eller, a natural center who has always been more comfortable in the middle but who has been stuck on a wing since
his return from shoulder surgery Oct. 13.

"It's sad to see (Gomez) is out, we'll miss him," Eller said. "But it's a big opportunity for me."

Eller will center a line with Andrei Kostitsyn and Travis Moen while Desharnais will play between Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole.

Of course, that is subject to change considering Martin used around 25 different line combinations in Pittsburgh as he looks for a way to solve his team's offensive woes.
The Canadiens have scored just 13 goals in six games, with five of those goals coming in one shot in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

The line juggling is a reflection of that lack of offense, but the Canadiens players insist it doesn't bother them even though it would obviously be preferable to give combinations some time to develop chemistry.

"Last game was unique that way, I'll admit it was different," said Michael Cammalleri, who returned to action in Pittsburgh after missing three games with a deep cut on his leg. "But Jacques had a lot of things to juggle, he didn't know how my knee would react and then we lost (Gomez). As a player, the big focus is to not focus on that because I can't control that. I think as an older player I've learned to do that, but it may be a little harder for a younger guy."

Lombardi is not the only member of the Maple Leafs who will be making a homecoming tonight as former Canadiens defenseman Mike Komisarek will be back in the lineup for Toronto after being a healthy scratch against Boston. He will take the spot of Cody Franson, who was a
minus-3 against the Bruins.

"It's big on a couple of levels for him," said fellow defenseman Luke Schenn. "First of all he used to play here, and he always gets a mixed reaction whenever he comes here. But also, well, all the defensemen want to play well, but I think he really wants to make an imprint on our lineup."

Wilson said he wanted Komisarek to gain some perspective by watching a game from the press box and expects him to come in and play a simple game. But he was clear that lineup decisions on his crowded blue line will be performance-based.

"This is a meritocracy," he said. "If you're playing well, you play."

BOSTON – Bruins defenseman Steven Kampfer came out of his regular-season debut with no issues Thursday night against Toronto.

The second-year rearguard had missed the Bruins' first six games with a knee injury that occurred during the preseason. In the win against the Maple Leafs, he logged 12:28 of ice time and recorded an assist.

"It's a nice feeling when you come off an injury and you can ease into a game like that and start feeling a little bit better," said Kampfer after the Bruins' morning skate today in preparation for tonight's game with San Jose at TD Garden. "It's been something that's gotten better every day, so I look forward to tonight."

In the third period, Kampfer and his knee passed the ultimate test – a big hit, partially leg-on-leg, at the blue line on the forecheck by Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul.

"I didn't really think anything of it," Kampfer said. "I think I was more admiring my pass and it was a good hit by him. There was nothing else in that. I was admiring my pass and I shouldn't be. And he got the better of me on that hit, so good for him."
 

PITTSBURGH – New Jersey Devils center Jacob Josefson could be sidelined for three-to-four months after undergoing surgery to repair a broken right clavicle that occurred in the first period of a 4-3 shootout loss to San Jose on Friday.
 
Josefson lost his footing as he carried the puck toward the net and, with both Jamie McGinn and Dan Boyle reaching for the puck with their sticks, crashed hard into the end boards. Josefson skated off the ice without assistance but immediately went to the Devils' dressing room.
 
“I watched the replay and you could tell the way his body was when he went in, he was going to get hurt," linemate Nick Palmieri said Saturday. “It's unfortunate, but he was trying to make a play and he did – he made a nice play. But skating fast, just the little bump was enough to knock him off balance and it's tough to recover. It's scary to see."
 
Josefson also was hurt against the Sharks last season, missing two months after tearing a ligament in his right thumb.
 
To replace Josefson, the Devils called up forward Adam Henrique from Albany of the American Hockey League. Henrique didn't have a point in the first two games of the season with the Devils earlier this season and had an assist in three games with Albany.
 
“He's a very capable center and I think we're pretty comfortable with him in the lineup," Palmieri said following an optional morning skate. “We're going to miss [Josefson] on our line, but I think Adam can step in and do the job."
 
The Devils already were without center Travis Zajac, who had surgery Aug. 18 to repair a torn Achilles' tendon.
 
Pittsburgh will be without center Evgeni Malkin (right knee soreness) for the fifth consecutive game and the seventh time in 10 games. He was ruled out by coach Dan Bylsma after taking part in the morning skate.
 
The likely lineups:
 
DEVILS

Zach Parise – Patrik Elias – Petr Sykora
Ilya Kovalchuk – Dainius Zubrus - Nick Palmieri
Mattias Tedenby – Adam Henrique – David Clarkson
Eric Boulton – Rod Pelley – Brad Mills
 
Andy Greene – Adam Larsson
Bryce Salvador – Anton Volchenkov
Henrik Tallinder – Mark Fayne
 
With Martin Brodeur still out with an injured shoulder, former Penguins goalie Johan Hedberg will be in net. Keith Kinkaid will be the backup.
 
PENGUINS

Chris Kunitz – Jordan Staal – Pascal Dupuis
Steve Sullivan – Richard Park – James Neal
Matt Cooke – Joe Vitale – Arron Asham
Steve MacIntyre – Dustin Jeffrey – Craig Adams
 
Coach Dan Bylsma rotated his seven defensemen during the morning skate, now that Kris Letang has returned from his two-game suspension for a boarding violation. Bylsma said the pairings would be a game-time decision.

Paul Martin – Zbynek Michalek
Brooks Orpik – Kris Letang
Matt Niskanen or Ben Lovejoy – Deryk Engelland
 
Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury will start after losing a shutout in the final two minutes of a 3-1 decision over Montreal on Thursday. Brent Johnson will back him up.

The Buffalo Sabres will face the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday night at the St. Pete Times Forum, and by any measure, the Lightning (2-3-3) will be up against a hot team. Buffalo (5-1-0) has sprinted out to the lead in the Northeast Division and, coming off a shutout win against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., on Thursday are undefeated on the road this season with four wins.

But hot or not, the sight of the Sabres arriving has rarely been a welcome one to the Lightning.  The last time that Tampa Bay posted a winning record for the season against the Sabres was the season they won the Stanley Cup, 2003-04, when the Lightning went 3-0-0-1 against them.

Since then, Tampa Bay has compiled a 5-15-4 mark, though the teams did split the four meetings last season.

For Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, the reason for the Buffalo domination of the Lightning is a mystery.

"That's tough to figure," Ruff said. "We've been on the opposite side of that with some teams like Pittsburgh. When you look at it, we've won games here lots of different ways."

Almost all of those winning ways have included goals by Sabres forward Thomas Vanek, who has acquired a reputation as a Lightning killer with 22 goals in 24 games against Tampa Bay. Vanek, who has recorded points in all six of Buffalo's games, has no explanation for his success against the Lightning.

"It's just a coincidence," Vanek said. "I've gotten the chances and the puck has gone in."

Buffalo's success against his team was less a mystery to Lightning coach Guy Boucher.

"They are a very well-coached team," Boucher said. "A lot of set plays are working for them. Teams that react faster than their opponents find success and that's what they have, they react very fast. They have smaller forwards and they are very evasive and that creates a lot of problems for slower defensemen."

The Lightning, coming off a 4-1 win against the Islanders on Thursday that snapped a five-game losing streak, are counting on duplicating that effort tonight.

"We know it's going to be a challenge," Lightning forward Steven Stamkos said. "If we play like we did last game we'll give ourselves a chance to compete and that's the game plan today."

Coming off the win Thursday night, Mathieu Garon will get his second consecutive start in net for the Lightning against Ryan Miller for Buffalo.

Here's the projected lineup for both teams:

TAMPA BAY

Martin St. Louis - Steven Stamkos - Steve Downie
Ryan Malone  - Vincent Lecavalier - Teddy Purcell
Tom Pyatt - Dominic Moore - Brett Connolly
Blair Jones - Nate Thompson - Adam Hall

Victor Hedman - Eric Brewer
Brett Clark - Pavel Kubina
Marc-Andre Bergeron - Matt Gilroy

Mathieu Garon
Dwayne Roloson
 
BUFFALO

Thomas Vanek  - Luke Adam - Jason Pominville
Tyler Ennis - Derek Roy - Drew Stafford
Cody McCormick - Ville Leino - Brad Boyes
Nathan Gerbe  - Paul Gaustad  - Patrick Kaleta

Robyn Regehr  - Tyler Myers
Jordan Leopold - Christian Ehrhoff
Andrej Sekera - Marc-Andre Gragnani

Ryan Miller
Jhonas Enroth