Blackhawks To Attack Wild With Revamped Lines, Approach
By Chris Emma--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's no secret in the locker room that the Blackhawks didn't play their best hockey against the pesky Predators in a first-round series win in six games. In fact, they have a lot to improve.
When the Blackhawks took to the ice for Monday's practice at Johnny's IceHouse, they had a new look to the lines and a revamped game plan in place for their second-round series with the Minnesota Wild. It's partially based off what worked against the Predators.
What do the game-winning goals of Duncan Keith in Games 1 and 6 and Brent Seabrook in the triple-overtime Game 3 all have in common? A body was in front of 6-foot-5 Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne. Minnesota's red-hot, equally-sized Devan Dubnyk -- who allowed a goal or fewer in three of the Wild's six games with the St. Louis Blues -- will be attacked the same way.
"There's always a net-front (presence)," Blackhawks winger Bryan Bickell said. "We need to get point shots through and the net front will find an opportunity for it to go in. They're not going to be fancy plays like (Patrick Kane) with the spin-o-rama backdoor (assist to Kris Versteeg in Game 4). But there are only so many guys that can do that."
For that reason, Bickell was moved to the Blackhawks' second line as left wing at Monday's practice, alongside center Brad Richards and the aforementioned Kane. Bickell's 6-foot-4 body will often be parked in front of Dubnyk when this Western Conference semifinal series begins. Chicago hopes its second line can score some of those proverbial greasy goals against Minnesota.
Winger Kris Versteeg was moved from the second line and out of the starting lineup, as coach Joel Quenneville substitutes his speed with Bickell's presence.
"You got to get ugly goals, you got to get to the net," Quenneville said of the Blackhawks' approach. "Second opportunities, seize the puck. (Dubnyk) is going to make it tough on you."
However, Quenneville's taking that opposite approach and looking to beat the Wild with skill on a new and improved third line. Rookie Teuvo Teravainen was placed on the right wing, joining center Antoine Vermette and left wing Patrick Sharp.
The rookie Teravainen played in Games 1 and 2 in Nashville before being scratched the rest of the series.
"I'm just trying to do my best," Teravainen said. "I know I can play good hockey here. I want to play good."
Vermette was a healthy scratch for Games 1 and 2 in Nashville, then played the rest of the series, scoring his first goal as a Blackhawk in Game 3.
After putting aside the admitted frustration, Vermette proved to Quenneville what he can do. Now, the trade-deadline acquisition has a great opportunity with Sharp and Teravainen on the wings.
"I want to win," Vermette said. "I want to make the best out of it. I want to be having a good influence on the play any time I get a chance."
Chicago took the season series 3-2 over Minnesota and has bounced the Wild from the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. However, this is a different Wild team that's much improved from the past two playoff departures and even the first three losses to the Blackhawks this season.
Make no mistake, the Blackhawks aren't overlooking their second-round foe.
"I don't think there's any favorite in this series," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said.
In rematching with a division rival, the Blackhawks are keeping the focus on what they need to do better while evaluating what went right against the Predators. With a few greasy goals from the second line and a little more flash from the third unit, Chicago can attack Minnesota and Dubnyk.
This is all in an attempt to maximize the Blackhawks' best hockey after troubling play against the Predators.
"If we play consistent and keep it simple against this team, our track record, we've done it," Bickell said. "We need to wrap our heads around it and stick with it."
Follow Chris on Twitter @CEmma670.
