Blackhawks Counting On Roenick

Less than two weeks ago, the Chicago Blackhawks were counting the days until Jeremy Roenick could return from a knee injury.

Now that Roenick is back, Blackhawks coach Darryl Sutter is waiting again - for the All-Star center to play at a level that will help the team defeat the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL Western Conference finals.

Roenick, meanwhile, isn’t happy that Sutter is taking shots at him in the media.

“I played brutal. I guess you could say that. That’s what it said in the paper,” Roenick said Friday, referring to Sutter’s critical comments after Chicago’s seriesopening loss the previous night. “I know I didn’t play well. But I’m not going to come out with my head hanging. I’m going to get mad and get better.”

Sutter said the Blackhawks are behind in the best-of-seven series, which resumes Sunday in Detroit, because they played poorly in their own end and in neutral ice. As a result, they didn’t get any controlled rushes into the Red Wings’ zone and managed only 14 shots on goalie Mike Vernon.

The winner of the series will play the winner of the Philadelphia vs. New Jersey series, which begins tonight at the Spectrum.