A regular Shark hunt for Blackhawks’ first line

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Updated: February 17, 2012 8:21AM

Considering the Blackhawks’ opponent and the hot streak it has been on, what Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Viktor Stalberg did together Sunday against the San Jose Sharks was probably their best combined performance.

The Hawks’ first line combined for two goals, five points and a plus-6 rating in a 4-3 victory Sunday at the United Center.

‘‘Their big boys had the puck all night,’’ Sharks coach Todd McLellan said.

At a time when the Hawks’ best offensive players have to produce with Patrick Sharp injured, the trio was a threat every time it was on the ice, creating scoring chances all around Sharks goalie Antti Niemi.

The passing was critical. Toews fed Stalberg in front of Niemi for a goal with 20.4 seconds left in the first period. In the second period, Toews killed the Sharks’ momentum when he knocked in a quick centering feed from Kane for a 3-2 lead at 7:06.

‘‘I don’t know if they had a shot against us all game,’’ Stalberg said. ‘‘It seemed like we had chances every shift. We could have gotten four, five or six goals tonight.’’

Niemi robbed Kane, who’s in the midst of a six-game goal drought, with a sliding glove save on a 2-on-1 breakout with Toews in the first period.

Carcillo crossroads

Daniel Carcillo’s seven-game suspension for boarding Edmonton Oilers defenseman Tom Gilbert is over. But so is his season.

Carcillo is scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and is expected to go on injured reserve Monday or Tuesday.

Although it seems like a long shot, coach Joel Quenneville didn’t rule out the possibility of Carcillo being re-signed this summer, when he’ll be an unrestricted free agent. For now, though, Quenneville doesn’t think the Hawks have to compensate for losing Carcillo.

‘‘We look at how we work at our team game,” Quenneville said. “When we check well, all four lines rolling and everybody’s doing the same things, I think there’s enough there.’’

Sharp update

Quenneville said Sharp (broken wrist) remains on track to return to the lineup early on the Hawks’ nine-game road trip in February.