NHL News

Buffalo - Zenon Konopka has been suspended for 20 games for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the suspension is accompanied by mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment. The player's contract expires with the conclusion of the 2013-14 season. The term of the suspension will be served at the beginning of any new contract. The National Hockey League will have no further comment on this matter.
Chicago - Andrew Shaw again rested with a lower-body injury and didn't practice with the Blackhawks on Thursday at United Center. The good news for the Blackhawks is that Shaw, a scrappy, versatile second-year forward, is close to skating again and might be able to return in the pending Western Conference Final against either the Anaheim Sucks or Los Angeles Kings. Game 1 is scheduled for Sunday. Shaw, who scored 20 goals in the regular season, has two goals and two assists in seven games during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. His presence in front of the crease and around the net has become a key part of the Blackhawks' attack, especially in the tight checking of the postseason. He was injured on a hit in the first period of Game 1 against the Minnesota Wild in a Western Conference Second Round series and didn't play in the remaining five games of the best-of-7 series, won by Chicago in six. Shaw is the only Blackhawks player unable to play, but there could be lingering issues others are playing through. Notable developments during practice were the breakup of Chicago's top line from the final two games against the Wild and the reunification of a fourth-line that played together almost the entire season. Power forward Bryan Bickell was back at left wing on the top line with captain Jonathan Toews at center and Marian Hossa at right wing during line rushes. That moved forward Patrick Sharp to left wing for the second group with Michal Handzus at center and Patrick Kane on right wing. Sharp, Toews and Hossa, who played much of the regular season as the top unit, were put back together for the final two games against the Wild. On the fourth line, forward Brandon Bollig was back at left wing with Marcus Kruger at center and Ben Smith on the right side. Bollig has served his two-game suspension for an illegal hit on Minnesota defenseman Keith Ballard during Game 4 at Xcel Energy Center and is ready to get back on the ice. He said what happened was a learning experience.

Joel Quenneville: "[He] certainly adds an ingredient you appreciate as a coach and a teammate. [He] has that relentless competitiveness, some skill offensively and he's hard to play against. Nice set of hands, can take faceoffs, play center, wing. You look forward to getting him back. We expect to have him back on the ice this weekend and we'll get a better determination of when he'll play."

Bollig: "It's definitely not ideal that the guy got hurt, and I wasn't looking to hurt anyone. I don't think anyone's out there to hurt anyone. Hopefully it doesn't happen again."
Pittsburgh - Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin will join Russia for the remainder of the 2014 IIHF World Championship being played in Belarus. The Penguins were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday with a Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Second Round. The IIHF website said Malkin will join the Russian team Sunday. It plays Germany that night in a preliminary-round game, and faces Belarus on Tuesday. It is the sixth World Championship for Malkin, 27. He won gold in 2012, when he was the tournament's most valuable player. Russia is first in Group B with a record of 4-0 (12 points) in the preliminary round. Malkin had 14 points in 13 games this NHL postseason after getting 72 in 60 regular-season games.