CHICAGO - Forget Patrick Kanes flashy moves and Jonathan Toews steady play.
[b]Cheap Panthers Jerseys[/b] . Same for the rest of the talented forwards on the Chicago Blackhawks. Instead, check out the players who line up right behind the teams biggest stars. Chicagos athletic defencemen play a prominent role in the NHLs most potent offence. Duncan Keith leads all NHL defencemen with 30 assists. Niklas Hjalmarsson is on pace for career highs in goals and assists. Brent Seabrook has three goals and 23 assists after he had 20 points in 47 games last season. Nick Leddy and Johnny Oduya also have provided valuable support on offence. Its hard enough for teams to deal with the likes of Kane and Toews. Now, when Keith & Co. are coming up and taking aim, the Blackhawks turn into a goaltenders nightmare. "I love our defence. Theyve been huge for us the past two seasons," forward Patrick Sharp said. "They all skate well. They all move the puck and with the forwards that we have in our locker room, we like to get it with speed and they do a good job of getting it to us. Our defence (has) been the key to our team this year." The importance of Chicagos offensive defencemen was on full display Monday night, when the Blackhawks beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 for their sixth win in the last eight games. Leddy helped set up Kanes tiebreaking goal in the second period, and then capped the scoring with his fifth of the season in the third. Seabrook added two assists. It was the Blackhawks 15th game with at least five goals, running their league-best total to 145. They also lead the NHL with an average of 2.87 points a game by their defencemen, according to STATS, a significant increase from their 2.08 average for last seasons Stanley Cup-winning team. St. Louis, which hosts Chicago on Saturday night, is next on the list with 2.64 points a game for its defencemen and 128 goals overall. "I think as a defence corps you know that its important that we help control the offensive goal, not just necessarily scoring points but just being in on the attack and being an extra option that might create some space for our forwards," said Keith, who also had an assist against the Devils. Keith is one of the top contenders for the Norris Trophy after he took home the award for the NHLs top defenceman in 2010. The 30-year-old Keith, who was selected by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2002 draft, has led the team in ice time every season since he made his debut in 2005. He plays alongside Seabrook in Chicagos top defensive pairing. "The two of them have been together basically since they broke into the league," said coach Joel Quenneville, a former NHL defenceman. "Thats been a big part of our team. When you think about all the shifts theyve played together, theres a lot of familiarity with one another and I think they complement each other for the right reasons." That familiarity is a common theme when it comes to the Blackhawks defencemen. Seabrook, a first-round draft pick by Chicago in 2003, had two of the Blackhawks biggest goals in their run to the title last season. He scored in overtime in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals against Detroit after Chicago battled back from a 3-1 series deficit, and then had another overtime winner in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals at Boston. Hjalmarsson also was drafted by the Blackhawks and is in his seventh season with the team. The 22-year-old Leddy, a 2009 first-round selection by Minnesota, was acquired in a trade in 2010 and has played for Chicago for four seasons. Oduya came over in a February 2012 trade with Winnipeg. "Youre with a group or a linemate or a defence partner for a certain amount of time, you develop that chemistry on the ice and even off the ice," Keith said. "You become more familiar with one another and closer. I just think it helps the overall game on the ice knowing what guys tend to do out on the ice and what they want to do." The Blackhawks (26-7-6) also have done a strong job of finding the right players for their system, which emphasizes puck possession. The eight defencemen on Chicagos roster range in height from 6-foot (Leddy and Oduya) to 6-3 (Seabrook and Hjalmarsson) and weight from 190 pounds for Oduya to 221 for Seabrook. The top defencemen are all strong skaters who are comfortable with the puck on their stick and can cover a lot of ground in a hurry. "The style of play fits the player and the player fits style of play," Oduya said. "I think thats important."
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[b]Florida Panthers Store[/b] . - Kentucky freshmen Stanley Boom Williams, Dorian Baker, Drew Barker and Tymere Dubose have been charged with disorderly conduct for their involvement with air pistol shots being fired near a residence hall on the South campus Sunday night. DETROIT -- Ian Kinslers first few weeks with Detroit have been just what the Tigers were hoping for. Kinsler homered and drove in four runs, and the Tigers held on for a 7-5 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday. Kinsler has settled into Detroits leadoff spot nicely after the Tigers traded Prince Fielder for him in the off-season. He hit his second homer of the season -- a three-run shot in the fifth inning -- and raised his average to .327. "Im playing ball, man -- I love to play baseball," Kinsler said. "Im enjoying myself. I would like to win some more games, but right now were playing OK, and just waiting to erupt a little bit and run off a bunch of wins in a row." Justin Verlander (2-1) allowed three unearned runs in five innings, and the Tigers trailed 3-1 before Kinslers homer off Danny Salazar (0-2). Detroit never gave up the lead after scoring four runs in the fifth, although Clevelands Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in the seventh to make it 6-5. Joe Nathan pitched a perfect ninth for his second save in four chances. The Tigers used five relievers, trying to make it through the late innings with a bullpen thats been shaky so far. "I think as we go along here, well start to learn when guys are going to go in the game and when their role is going to be called upon," Nathan said. "Thatll help with preparation and getting yourself mentally ready to go in." There were four unearned runs in a sloppy game that included five errors, three by the Tigers. Lonnie Chisenhall had four hits for the Indians, raising his average to .522. Clevelands Jason Kipnis was ejected after striking out in the third inning. Kipnis struck out swinging with the bases loaded for the third out, then appeared to say something to plate umpire Lance Barrett, who immediately threw him out of the game. "He was upset about the first pitch, and I agreed with him," Indians manager Terry Francona said. Cleveland opened the scoring in the fourth when Asdrubal Cabrera reached on a bunt single aand went to second on a throwing error by Verlander.
[b]Florida Panthers Gear[/b]. David Murphy drove him in with a single. Austin Jacksons sacrifice fly in the bottom half tied it, but Verlander allowed two more runs in the fifth. An error by third baseman Nick Castellanos kept the inning going, and Brantleys bases-loaded single brought home two runs to make it 3-1. Verlander allowed six hits and four walks. He struck out seven. Salazar didnt fare any better. His outing ended in the fifth when the Tigers took the lead. Kinsler hit a 3-1 pitch over the fence in left-centre field, and Detroit added another run that inning on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Jackson. "I walked the first guy and then I started thinking about everything. I was trying to figure out if my arm was in the right slot, or if I had changed my delivery somehow, and then I was just lost," Salazar said. "I was overthinking everything, and trying to make a perfect pitch. As soon as I started doing that, the ball was all over the place." Reliever C.C. Lee added to Clevelands problems in the sixth when his errant pickoff throw allowed Detroits Rajai Davis to go from first to third. Davis scored on a single by Kinsler. Brantleys homer in the seventh brought the Indians within one, and Cabrera nearly tied it when his drive down the line in left sailed just foul. But the Tigers added a run in the eighth. Castellanos singled, and pinch-runner Andrew Romine stole second, advancing to third on a throwing error by catcher Yan Gomes. He scored when Davis beat out a two-out chopper for an infield single. Salazar allowed five runs, six hits and three walks in 4 2-3 innings. He walked three and struck out three. NOTES: Detroits Joba Chamberlain pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings in relief, striking out two. ... Detroit hosts the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night, with LHP Drew Smyly (1-0) starting for the Tigers against RHP Jered Weaver (0-2). Cleveland hosts Toronto. The Indians start RHP Justin Masterson (0-0) against RHP Drew Hutchinson (1-1). ' ' '
