He's back! Kane to play Game 1 vs. Nashville
It's official.
Patrick Kane will be on the ice for Game 1 Wednesday night when the Blackhawks open the Stanley Cup playoffs in Nashville against the Predators.
“It's exciting,” Kane said. “It's been a long 50 days here, so it's a credit to a lot of hard work from obviously the doctors and the trainers and just listening to them and trying to heal as fast as possible.”
The Hawks now have their MVP candidate back just when they need him most, much like last season when Kane suffered a knee injury late in the season and returned to face St. Louis in the opening round. Kane scored 3 goals in the first four games of that series, including a goal in the opener.
The layoff may have resulted in some rust, but Kane says the time away also recharged him.
“Hopefully it's one of those things that can make me stronger, give me some more excitement,” he said. “Maybe you get the right type of rest and energy and you have some more going into playoffs. So it's almost like it's a new season for me, and I'm sure a lot of guys feel that way in here.
“It's definitely exciting to get back and do something that I love.”
With Kane officially back, coach Joel Quenneville can tweak his lineup in myriad ways. One of the casualties to Kane's return appears to be Antoine Vermette, who again skated outside the top four lines at Tuesday's practice.
“Getting him back just makes you have so many more options,” Quenneville said of Kane. “His versatility in all areas certainly enhances our team.”
Bottom line: The entire team is thrilled that Kane will be out there Wednesday night.
“We've been playing well without him,” said Jonathan Toews. “If everyone keeps that same pace and even picks it up considering it's playoff time, it's only going to help to have him back.”
Added Quenneville: “I'm sure his appetite to play is as high as it's ever been with him. He's one of those guys you can't keep off the ice. At this time of the year, him joining our team, everyone has to be excited about it.
“Nobody's more excited than him.”
Anthem antics:
Annoyed Predators fans and personnel believe they have come up with a way to stop Blackhawks fans from cheering and screaming during the national anthem. The anthem singer will ask the crowd to sing along.
Predators president Sean Henry is confident this will have the desired effect.
“It would be almost against God, country and apple pie to shout and cheer through the person next to you singing the anthem of the United States of America, wouldn't it?” Henry told the Nashville Tennessean.
The team gave it a test run during the final two games of the regular season with Vince Gill and Charlie Daniels imploring the crowd to sing along.
Experienced coach:
Predators coach Peter Laviolette downplayed his playoff success to reporters this week, but it is quite an impressive resume. The 51-year-old head coach, who began in with the Islanders in 2001, is 9-5 in playoff series and led Carolina (2006) and the Philadelphia Flyers (2010) to the Stanley Cup Final.
He said it:
“System is probably a little bit different. Speed, pace. Linemates, changing positions and it's something we're trying to find the right fit.”
Joel Quenneville on why Antoine Vermette has struggled with the Hawks
He said it, II:
“They (the Predators) must be doing something to keep the Hawks fans out during the playoffs. Hopefully we can see a few red jerseys up there that are brave enough to weather an opponent's building.”
Jonathan Toews
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