Goalie Antii Niemi focuses on the next stop

Blackhawks goalie Antti Niemi was offered a couple of excuses for allowing J.P. Dumont's game-tying goal Friday night in the third period, on a fluttering, bouncing backhander from along the boards that somehow eluded the rookie and kick-started a 4-goal blitz by the Predators in their victory in Game 1.

Was it a funny bounce? Maybe the ice was bad?

The man whom Hawks coach Joel Quenneville says is so low maintenance that if goalies had a union "I don't know if he'd be accepted" just wasn't biting.

"It was just a terrible goal," said Niemi, who stopped 22 of the 24 shots he faced. "It had nothing to do with the ice. I should have just played the bounce and gone straight to the puck. I should have played the bounce and covered it."

While Niemi was visibly upset after allowing the goal, Quenneville said there's no concern that the residue from Dumont's knuckler will linger for the rookie who finished with a 26-7-4 record in the regular season.

"No, he's got a great approach and demeanor about himself," Quenneville said. "He was solid. He was big in net for us. Those funny bounces can happen against anybody. Moving forward, it was a good test, a good challenge and we expect him to be solid.

"Move ahead and play the next opportunity, the next shot."

Niemi and the Hawks seem to be there already.

"Of course everyone here wanted to start with a win so it was a bit of a disappointment," Niemi said, "but I think everyone got over it and have started concentrating on Sunday's game."