Programming note: Sharks-Blackhawks coverage starts Sunday at 3:30 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on Comcast SportsNet California
CHICAGO – Justin Braun is fine to play in the Sharks’ game against the Blackhawks on Sunday, one day after getting pummeled in the face by Dallas’ Antoine Roussel late in San Jose’s 5-3 win.
Roussel has a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Monday, and faces supplemental discipline for the sucker punch.
“A scrum broke out. I didn’t think it was going to turn into that, and ended up getting punched in the face,” Braun said. “You can’t really do much about it.”
[RELATED: Roussel to have hearing for 'sucker-punch' on Braun]
Did Braun sense any frustration, after the slumping Stars had surrendered a third period lead?
“Frustration. That’s kind of his game,” said Braun, who had yet to watch a replay of the incident. “Whatever keeps you in the league, whatever you think you need to do. You try to have that grit part in your game but I think it got out of hand. He’s a hard-nosed player.”
[KURZ: Sharks unhappy with Roussel's late antics]
The Sharks were ahead 4-3 with a little more than a minute to go in regulation, when Roussel received a goalie interference minor for hitting Alex Stalock, as well as a 10-minute misconduct. Stalock was issued a delay of game minor resulting in a four-on-four situation, and Joe Thornton iced the game with an empty net goal.
“He ended up getting thrown out of the game, but I thought we would have ended up on the positive side with a power play,” Braun said.
[RECAP: Burns ignites rally, Sharks beat Stars 5-3]
The defenseman, who has six assists in 15 games and a +7 rating, was asked if he’s satisfied that the league is taking a closer look at the incident.
“Yeah, you don’t want that to happen in the game. Whatever the league decides to do, they decide to do. We’ll just go about our business,” he said.
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The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t scoring nearly as many goals as they’re used to. Headed into Sunday’s game, Chicago is tied for 21st in the NHL with 2.43 goals-per game.
“I’m not buying into that at all. We know that team well enough and we know the players well enough to fall for that,” Todd McLellan said. “They’re capable of scoring on any given night. They had five against Montreal the other night (a 5-0 road win on Tuesday). They just are dynamic, and they have the ability to break loose at any time. That’s how we’ll approach the game. We’re not going to think about them being in a slump.”
What the Blackhawks are doing particularly well is preventing goals. Chicago is top in the league with just 1.86 goals-against per game, aided in part by the NHL’s best penalty kill (92.9 percent).
[RELATED: In the Crease: Sharks make only visit to Chicago]
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Antti Niemi will return to the Sharks’ net against his former team, facing Corey Crawford.
Niemi's personal results against Chicago have not been strong. In his last eight starts against the Blackhawks, Niemi is 2-5-1 with a 3.21 goals-against average and .902 save percentage.
At United Center, he’s 1-5-1 with a 3.85 GAA and .886 SP since the Sharks signed him as a free agent in the summer of 2010. His only win here came in his first start against the team that he helped to win the 2010 Stanley Cup.
