WeisegoesrightbacktobotheringBruins
BOSTON— As if DaleWeise needed any extramotivation in his Blackhawks debut, it came Thursday against the Boston Bruins, a team that has grown to hate him over the years. The agitatingWeise was a thorn in the Bruins’ side during his tenure with the rivalMontreal Canadiens, particularly during the second round of the 2014 playoffs. That series ended with the Bruins’ Milan Lucic famously telling Weise during the handshake line, ‘‘I’mgoing to [expletive] kill you next year.’’
‘‘I’ve seen plenty of these guys,’’ Weise said before the game. ‘‘A building I’m very familiar with, a team I’m very familiar with. I love playing here. There’s no better place to debut.’’
Richard Panik was the odd man out in the lineup, withWeise finally joining the Hawks after getting his work visa. The eventual plan is forWeise to skate on the third line with Teuvo Teravainen and Tomas Fleischmann.
‘‘We played probably the first 30 games together this year,’’ Weise said of fellow ex-Canadien Fleischmann. ‘‘We had instant chemistry from the first day of training camp. He’s just such a smart player. He’s got really underrated skill. I’m more of a shooter, he’s more of a passer, so it’s a good combination. He’s always looking for me, and I like to shoot the puck, so it’s perfect.”
Ehrhoff back for more
After a strong showing in his Hawks debut in Detroit, Christian Ehrhoff stayed in the lineup Thursday, with
Michal Rozsival again a healthy scratch.
‘‘I liked his game,’’ coach Joel Quenneville said. ‘‘Really liked our defense [Wednesday] night.’’
Gaining strength
Quenneville said for the first time Thursday that he expects MarcusKruger to play before the end of the regular season. Kruger, who had wrist surgery on Dec. 18, has been skating and shooting back in Chicago. MarianHossa (lower-body injury) is expected to play either Sunday at home against the RedWings or Wednesday at St. Louis.
Baun locked up
Kyle Baun, who cracked the Hawks lineup out of training camp but has spent nearly the entire season in Rockford, playing just 22 games because of injury, signed a two-year extension. It’s a one-way deal with an average annual value of $625,000.