Bickell likes to go Wild against Minnesota

It's Bryan Bickell's favorite time of year - and the Blackhawks are about to play his favorite opponent in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Bickell can be tough to defend, as he's proven during the previous two playoffs, but the Hawks' power forward is particularly troublesome for the Minnesota Wild. Bickell has 7 goals and 3 assists in 11 games against them during the playoffs, and the Hawks won both series.

Once again, he could again play a vital role in the Hawks' second-round series against the Wild that starts Friday night at the United Center.

"It's a factor," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said of Bickell's 6-foot-4, 223-pound frame. "Getting to the net against this team is what makes him so effective. Just getting shot on net sometimes is an achievement. We're still going to need a net-front presence."

That goes for all of the Hawks' forwards, but especially Bickell. He has 8 goals and 2 assists against Minnesota in 20 career regular-season games, including four this season.

He's just the kind of bulldozer needed to break up the Wild's fortress around the net, which is backed by 6-foot-6 goalie Devan Dubnyk.

"They protect the middle really well and keep us to the outside," Bickell said. "We need to get traffic and hopefully we get opportunities that way."

Bickell also needs to shoot more often. He averaged 15:05 against Nashville and finished the series with just nine shot attempts and four shots on goal. Quenneville wants him battling for rebounds, but he isn't just a garbage collector. Bickell's powerful wrist shot can sometimes catche goalies by surprise.

"I like when he shoots off the wing," Quenneville said Thursday after practice. "He's got a heavy shot. It's unpredictable for goaltenders and it's heavy."

Listening to him talk this week, Bickell knows he needs to take more shots. He movd up to the second line with Brad Richards and Patrick Kane to open up some ice for them, but he's expected to shoot it there's an open lane.

"They want me to play the same (as the first series)," Bickell said. "They don't want me to get out of my comfort zone. (Just) be physical by going to the net and shoot the puck. The first series I was getting to the net. I didn't shoot the puck enough."

Playing the Wild might help him pull the trigger more. If not, the Hawks at least need his body camped in front of Dubnyk.

"I thought he had a good first round," Quenneville said. "I thought he did a lot of good things. He was skating extremely well (and) that physical presence was there. He didn't have the production that we've seen in the playoffs in the past, but I think you play like that with (him), and he brings other elements that still make a contribution to your game."