Hawks-Wings game figures to be another great clash

Being new to the Blackhawks, Tomas Kopecky probably didn't mean to call Thursday's clash with the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena just another game.

It's never "just another game" whenever the Hawks and Red Wings meet - at least from Chicago's perspective.

The Hawks want to be like the Red Wings in every way, and winning championships is right at the top of the list. Games with Detroit are always measuring sticks for the Hawks, and Thursday will be no different.

"It's going to be fun and interesting to see how we match up," Hawks winger Dustin Byfuglien said Tuesday. "It's a new season. The playoffs are over with."

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said it feels like only yesterday that the Red Wings eliminated the Hawks in overtime in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

Actually, it was more than four months ago and a lot has changed for both teams, particularly Detroit. The Red Wings lost forwards Marian Hossa and Kopecky to the Hawks as free agents, saw free-agent winger Mikael Samuelsson leave for Vancouver and center Jiri Hudler sign to play in Russia.

While the Red Wings still are formidable with Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom, Dan Cleary, Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom, many have predicted the Hawks will finish ahead of them in the Central Division.

"It's easy to get caught up with what everyone is saying about us, that you're going to win this or win that," Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "You can't listen to the hype. We just have to go out and be who we are and try to improve every day as a team."

The Red Wings have started 0-2 for the first time since 1989-90, having lost both games to St. Louis last weekend in Sweden. A win by the 1-0-1 Hawks on Thursday would put them 5 points ahead of Detroit a week into the season.

"If we can come up with 2 points in Detroit and separate ourselves a little bit, that would be good for us," Toews said.

Kopecky is eager to face his old teammates for the first time.

"It's going to be a good challenge and it's going to be fun," Kopecky said. "It's going to be even more fun when we beat them."

No, Kopecky didn't mean for that to be bulletin board material in the Detroit dressing room.

"I meant I would like to beat them," Kopecky said. "It's not like I guaranteed anything. We're obviously going to try our best and it's going to be fun if we beat them. I would love to beat those guys, and I'm sure they would love to beat us."

Kopecky did admit the rivalry appears to be bigger on this side of Lake Michigan.

"They weren't really crazy about it as they are here," Kopecky said. "It's a big rivalry here."

While Red Wings fans won't have the opportunity to boo Hossa this time, Kopecky probably will hear his share of jeers.

"It's going to be different," Kopecky said. "It's going to be a weird feeling, but there's 2 points up for grabs and all the friendships are going to go on the side."

Quenneville planned to use Kopecky and Hossa in hopes of finding any type of edge going into this first of six games against Detroit.

"We'll pick their brain over the next day or so," Quenneville said. "I'll at least touch base with them between now and the game."

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