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Desperate times call for desperate measures.

That's when Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville usually turns to the trio of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp.

Based on Saturday's morning skate, those three will skate together as the Hawks' top line in Game 5 tonight at the United Center.

"For us three we played together a lot my first couple years in the league and just kind of developed some chemistry to where it was pretty instant," Kane said. "I think we just have to remember how to play with one another. We haven't done it in a while. Hopefully we can have a good first couple shifts and get some chemistry back right away.

Two weeks ago, injured second baseman Gordon Beckham confidently predicted he’d return from a fractured left hamate bone tonight against the Miami Marlins at U.S. Cellular Field.
It looked like a realistic target date, but after playing his fifth rehab game for Class AAA Charlotte Thursday night, Beckham had to call White Sox general manager Rick Hahn.

Via Capitol Fax, the We Are One Illinois coalition of union leaders has cut a TV ad backing the pension reform plan they support.

Lawmakers are set to be done with their session a week from today, and this is one of the many immense issues remaining for them to deal with.

More on that Sunday.

DETROIT - Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said the team needs more from defenseman Brent Seabrook starting in Game 4 tonight at Joe Louis Arena.

Seabrook played less than 18 minutes in the Hawks' Game 3 loss and was minus-1. He let Gustav Nyquist go around him on Detroit's first goal.

"We're looking for more," Quenneville said after Thursday's morning skate.

"Whether it's a matchup or the way the game is being played, how we're playing, how he's playing, I think reflects that," Quenneville said of Seabrook's reduced ice time in Game 3. "I think our defense has been pretty solid throughout most of the season, but we need everybody to be strong and we have to be comfortable with everybody against anybody."

There might have been good reason for Cubs reliever Shawn Camp’s continued ineffectiveness this season. The Cubs today placed Camp on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right big toe. They recalled right-handed reliever Rafael Dolis from Class AAA Iowa. The Cubs also said their top executives are meeting today with top draft prospect Jonathan Gray, a pitcher at the University of Oklahoma. More on that in a bit.

Just Monday, the Cubs designated right-handed reliever Michael Bowden for assignment. Hours later, Camp went out and suffered his third blown save of the season, as he gave up a go-ahead grand slam to Pirates pinch hitter Travis Snider in the sixth inning of a game Pittsburgh won 5-4.

"I am tearful and happy for Rob Komosa."

That's part of a post on Facebook this week by Don Grossnickle, a longtime friend of Rob Komosa. Komosa died earlier this year following years of paralysis from a 1999 Rolling Meadows High School football accident.

Grossnickle's tears are because lawmakers sent to Gov. Pat Quinn legislation requiring high schools to carry insurance to cover accidents like Komosa's. Quinn is expected to sign it into law.

Grossnickle started an organization to spearhead the longtime fight for schools to carry insurance in the future.

We’re in the second inning here at U.S. Cellular Field, and the White Sox and Red Sox are scoreless.
But the big news of the night came a few minutes ago, when White Sox media relations director Bob Beghtol announced ace left-hander Chris Sale has been scratched from Wednesday night’s start vs. Boston with a “mild case” of tendinitis in his posterior throwing shoulder.
That doesn’t sound good, but the Sox also announced Sale will make his next scheduled start, Tuesday vs. the Cubs at the Cell.
Hector Santiago will start in place of Sale Wednesday vs. Red Sox ace Clay Buchholz (6-0, 1.78 ERA).
Sale is scheduled to talk to reporters after tonight’s game.

One could argue that pitcher Michael Bowden got a raw deal and that the Cubs should have cut loose reliever Shawn Camp, but that’s not what happened today. The Cubs activated pitcher Matt Garza to start tonight’s game in Pittsburgh. To make room they designated Bowden for assignment.

The Cubs also claimed right-handed reliever Eduardo Sanchez off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bowden, a resident of Oswego and a graduate of Waubonsie Valley High School, was 1-2 with a 3.78 ERA and a WHIP of 1.14. He had 1 blown save. Camp is 1-1 with a 7.31 ERA and a WHIP of 1.75 and 2 blown saves.

Sanchez, 24, will be assigned to Class AAA Iowa. He was 0-0 with 1 save and a 3.72 ERA (4 ER/9.2 IP) in 9 relief appearances for Class AAA Memphis this season.

Last week, we told you that state Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat and longtime gambling supporter, wanted to change the Illinois Senate's big expansion plan.

As the photo above shows, it's not in his hands anymore.

Control of the legislation has been transferred to state Rep. Bob Rita, a Democrat from Blue Island in the south suburbs.

Rita will likely have to still negotiate with Gov. Pat Quinn if he wants to come up with a gambling expansion plan the governor will sign. The move is a surprising one because Lang has been working on this for a very long time.