WHAT HAPPENED TO THE [HAWKS} CHECKING LINE?

The Bryan Bickell-Dave Bolland-Michael Frolik combination was supposed to be the Blackhawks' shutdown line coming into the season. Instead, they've each struggled with consistency as the Hawks' goals-against average has risen. Here's a look:

C Dave Bolland

Bolland has two goals and an assist in the last five games, but the shutdown qualities that made him famous need to appear consistently. It doesn't help that his line has often changed, but he had a stretch of seven games (separated by a foot injury) in which he had no points and a minus-7 rating.

Lw Bryan Bickell

Bickell has failed to build on a pretty good 2010-11 regular season and a strong finish in the playoffs. He hasn't had a point in 13 consecutive games, and his ice time has decreased dramatically. He's on the fourth line, and another healthy scratch seems inevitable.

RW Michael Frolik

The winger has gotten chances to play on lines with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, but neither opportunity lasted long. Frolik, who got a three-year, $7 million deal this summer, has been dropped to the fourth line. He hasn't had a point in his last nine games and has only seven points this season.

Gus Ruelas~apGus RuelasNam Y. Huh~apNam Y. HuhTOM CRUZE~sun-timesTom Cruze