Rozner: Wild has more to prove to Blackhawks

It felt like an even series going in, one that had seven games written all over it, and Game 1 of Blackhawks-Wild did nothing to dispel that notion.

After 60 minutes, it's much easier to find the problem areas for both teams than the strengths, but it's difficult to see at the moment where they separate.

Minnesota came in playing terrific defense with superb goaltending, but that was merely a rumor 15 minutes into Friday night's 4-3 Hawks victory.

Devan Dubnyk was guessing a bit and the Hawks had the Wild defense running around, twice beating solid defensemen on the fly that led to the first 2 Chicago goals.

The game-winner by Teuvo Teravainen was a long-distance floater that Dubnyk failed to locate through traffic, and then swiped at and missed.

The home team came out flying and looked for 20 minutes like the best team still playing hockey in May, a team that could skate its way to the Stanley Cup Final.

But then came the second period and the continuation of a disturbing trend. In the first 60 seconds, the Hawks missed two chances to make it 4-0 and end the night for Minnesota - and maybe even its goaltender.

Only 20 seconds later, it was 3-1 and the Wild was back on its game. The Wild played the better 20 minutes and only a bad goal allowed by Dubnyk put the Hawks back in the lead.

Minnesota pressed hard in the third and then Corey Crawford - who was brilliant in the first and gave up 2 questionable goals in the second - played a strong third period and looked again like a goalie capable of winning it all.

So what does that mean for Sunday night? Expect Minnesota to play a much better game and for the Hawks to try to find 40 consecutive strong minutes before they can start thinking about a 60-minute effort.

"We'll get better as the series goes along," said Wild coach Mike Yeo. "I'm not concerned. I think there were some good things there. We have to be better than that, but what we do well is get better as the series goes along."

The Hawks' better game is simply better than Minnesota's. The Hawks know that and the Wild knows that. But both teams also know that the Hawks are wildly inconsistent and have been all season.

"They have dangerous players," said defenseman Ryan Suter, who was beat by Brandon Saad on the first goal. "They have a lot of skill over there, and if you make a mistake, most of the time it ends up in the back of your net. That's how they play, and they've always done that."

Fans have come to expect the Hawks' mood swings and Joel Quenneville has seemingly learned to accept it, sounding less frustrated than his own players at times.

Maybe that's because there are no extra points for pretty. It's simply about winning and the Hawks have five down and seven to go to reach the Cup Final.

Once this team gets there and smells the champagne, there's a good chance they'll close the deal, but until then it's a minute-to-minute proposition for a squad that has the talent and not always the understanding of how difficult it is to win a game until they put themselves in a precarious spot.

Minnesota, on the other hand, knows it has ability, but what the Wild doesn't have yet is the absolute knowledge that it can beat the Hawks, who have taken out the Wild the last two years.

It's not as simple as chickens and eggs. Winning breeds more winning, but it takes knocking off a team that already knows how to win and has the poise in the big moments to get it done.

"If you want to ask, we're not rattled right now," Yeo said. "It was obviously disappointing to lose the game and it puts a pretty big emphasis on the next one for us."

Game 2 is not make-or-break for either team, because winning on the road is foreign to neither team. If the Hawks win, they'll hold serve and they could still return home next Saturday tied at 2-2. If the Wild win, the Hawks will not panic and know they can steal one of the next two in Minnesota.

Game 2 will, however, tell both teams a little more about how they measure up.

"You gotta put it behind you. Just like if you win the game, you gotta forget about it," Suter said. "We lost the game. We gotta forget about it. So just prepare for the next game on Sunday and be better."

The Wild will play better Sunday night. As for the Hawks? Your guess is as good as anyone's.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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