Kris Versteeg restores roar on Blackhawks' second line

There's a word the Chicago Blackhawks are using a lot right now: chemistry.

The Blackhawks didn't seem to have much of it when the season started. They went 6-6 the first month, struggling to find a rhythm.

Then they lost forward Patrick Sharp to a lower body injury in early November.

But right around then, coach Joel Quenneville tinkered with the lines and production ramped up. Leading the charge has been the second line of Patrick Kane, Brad Richards and Kris Versteeg.

"When you find that that chemistry throughout the lineup and consistency among all of us, we can be a dangerous team," Versteeg said. "When you have every line contributing in their own way, it makes for some really fun hockey for us."

The fun resonates, especially for Versteeg, who faced harsh criticism last season for not meeting expectations after being re-acquired by the Blackhawks.

Something about him was off. Knee surgery in March 2013 had left him looking slower. He wasn't scoring. His playing time kept getting cut, and he was barely on the ice during the playoffs.

A few months later, Versteeg seemingly has found his niche. After notching a goal and two assists in the Blackhawks' 4-1 win against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, he had points in seven of his last eight games (four goals, 10 assists).

"I've never been too worried about what people have to say about me," he said. "I've proven everyone wrong I had to prove wrong. Now it's about enjoying the experience and having fun."

Working with Kane and Richards has brought out the best in Versteeg.

"(Versteeg) has really been the player we thought he could be this season," Quenneville said. "The (Richards) line has been spearheading our offense and really coming together. Each guy, you can say how well he's playing and how well they're connecting together.

"They feed off each other, move well and support each other. They have dangerous shifts and create a lot of coverage issues. They're always a threat."

Through 21 games, Versteeg had 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists), which put him behind only Kane. But Versteeg isn't looking to steal any spotlight from his linemates.

"I know what I want to be doing on the ice, and it's trying to strip pucks and get them into great players' hands," he said. "I want to get (the puck) out of mine as quick as possible to great players like Kane and Richards."

Richards was signed by the Blackhawks in the offseason, fresh from the New York Rangers and a Stanley Cup loss to the Kings.

How he would fit in raised as many offseason questions as it did for Versteeg, but Richards thinks they've found consistency.

"We go out there trying to play our best every night, trying to develop that chemistry and be more consistent," he said of the line. "Because of that, every day this feels more like it's my team. It's good to feel like you're a part of everything, on the ice, off the ice, and you know people."

With last season's disappointments a faint memory, Versteeg, too, is making the most of his opportunities.

"Once you start finding chemistry and how you fit with guys, you can do more and more (on the ice)," he said. "You have to prove your (toughness) every day, all season long. We're just trying to get better and better."