With wait over, Hawks look to find their rhythm

During their previous two playoff series, the Blackhawks have shown a lot of patience on the ice.

They spent most of this week trying to be just as patient off the ice, waiting since Monday night for an opponent in the Western Conference Finals.

"It's kind of frustrating," said forward Troy Brouwer. "In the playoffs you kind of want to get into a flow. It's nice having those days off to rest your wounded and relax a little bit, but it's also nice to flow into the next series where you can keep your rhythm and keep sharp."

Have the Hawks kept their rhythm going during the down time?

"Yeah, we've had some really high tempo practices and a lot of game-like situations," Brouwer said. "It keeps you sharper doing that.

"We can't wait to get in and start playing. We've been hungry."

Let's get physical (again): After flexing their muscles in series wins over Calgary and Vancouver, the Blackhawks say the way to get past Detroit is to continue down that route.

"It's playing against them physically," Hawks forward Adam Burish explained. "They're a team that probably has the best skill in the league."

What do you do to combat that?

"Play physical, play tough and play mean," Burish said. "Make them hate you."

Who is that guy? The Blackhawks faced Detroit goalie Chris Osgood only once during the regular season, but figure to spend a whole lot of time getting reacquainted with him in the conference finals.

"I don't think it plays into it at all," defenseman Brent Seabrook said. "We know he's a great goaltender. We've been watching him in the playoffs and you just sort of see how he is, the plays that he makes.

"He's good at getting out behind the net playing the puck. We've got to approach it as if we know what he's all about."

He said it: Adam Burish on the Blackhawks chances against Detroit: "I don't think we've had a chance all playoffs. We didn't have a chance against Calgary, we were too little and too soft. Same for Vancouver. I don't care. Doubt us. Think they're too good for us -- that's the way it's been all playoffs and that's fine with us."

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