Emma: Duncan Keith Is Back, Looking Like He Was Never Gone
By Chris Emma--
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (CBS) -- With possession in flux, the Blackhawks needed some puck luck Saturday. A dish from Tevuo Teravainen to Duncan Keith set up an Andrew Shaw tip-in goal, just four minutes into the first period.
Late in the second period, with the Blackhawks pushing through one of their eight penalty kills of the evening, Keith swept a puck from the crease to safety, and Marian Hossa cleared. A minute later, Keith dove in front of Blues center Kyle Brodziak to block a shot and kill off the power play.
And when the Blackhawks were holding a 3-2 lead in the final minutes, there was Keith's steady presence in front of goalie Corey Crawford. Coach Joel Quenneville could ride out his horse. Chicago earned just its second road victory of the season, showing resolve in a 4-2 win at St. Louis.
Duncan Keith is back, and he was sorely missed.
"He was unbelievable," Blackhawks defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk said. "It looked like he didn't miss any time."
Keith's return from a meniscus tear came just three and a half weeks after surgery, which was ahead of schedule. That's no surprise, considering this is Keith, a man who often seems superhuman in his physical abilities. He played more than half the game in the Blackhawks' Cup-clinching Game 6 victory last June. On Saturday, he tallied 27:34 on the ice, a game-high and season-high for Keith.
Hockey is a sport that requires extraordinary physical conditioning to play each shift. To play the ice time of Keith, it takes a freakish athlete.
"I don't think we budgeted him for 27 (minutes), but I didn't see a complaint," Quenneville said, offering a chuckle.
Keith is the Blackhawks' constant on the blue line, a steady presence in whom the team can trust. While Jonathan Toews can be considered their most valuable player, Keith should be viewed the same way.
Without Keith the past 10 games, the Blackhawks were forced to play a darn-near perfect puck-possession game, hoping the defense could stay competent -- with young players like Erik Gustafsson, David Rundblad and Viktor Svedberg carrying the burden -- and that Corey Crawford could largely stand on his head in the crease. In that span, Chicago went 5-4-1, with some bad play included.
The Blackhawks could count on Keith not only as their top defenseman but a reliable presence on offense. His smarts with the puck can't be taught -- it's mostly instinctual. Keith was all over the ice Saturday, helping bring his team what it needed in an important victory.
"It was fun to be back out there," Keith said.
What makes Keith such a special player is his versatility in a leading role for the three-time Stanley Cup champions. That first-period assist was created by awareness of Keith's space to the net. The good players create their own puck luck with recognition.
Keith's defensive prowess in that second-period penalty kill was simply what a standout defenseman can do. He's made a career out of it. And to no surprise, there was Keith with the game on the line, 27 minutes into his first game back from surgery and three-and-a-half weeks of recovery time.
"He was great controlling the pace of the game, bringing the puck out, (getting his) stick on everything," said van Riemsdyk.
The Blackhawks' incredibly valuable, versatile defenseman is back, looking like he was never gone.