In the Crease

It takes more than a puck in the face to keep Duncan Keith off the ice for the Blackhawks - even when he loses seven teeth.

Chicago's top defenseman was hit by a puck off the stick of San Jose's Patrick Marleau during the second period of Sunday's 4-2 win over the Sharks that clinched the Western Conference title.

Keith returned to the game and finished with a game-high 29 minutes, 2 seconds of ice time. He lost four bottom teeth and three on top.

"You've got leave it all on the ice," Keith said after the game as he was headed for major dental work. The team had no update on Keith's condition Monday.

"I felt a chunk of something back there and I figured it was a tooth. It wouldn't have been anything else," said Keith, who is a Norris Trophy finalist as the league's best defenseman.

"I saw some teeth falling out when I skated off and coughed one up. It sounds gross, but it happens all the time to guys. It could have been a lot worse. I could have got it in the jawbone."

Keith returned after getting some injections in his mouth to numb the pain and even got an assist on Dave Bolland's game-tying goal in the second.

"That's Duncs," said teammate John Madden. "He's crazy. He's a warrior. He's our leader. We knew Duncs would be back."

- Associated Press