Bolland answers challenge

It's pretty rare to hear Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville say a negative word about any of his players.

That's why Coach Q's response to a question about the play of center Dave Bolland prior to Sunday's Game 2 against Nashville was a little bit of an eye-opener.

"Obviously this year we're looking to him to recapture (last year's) pace," Quenneville said. "Being out for the majority of the year (following back surgery) ... we see trends recently that he's getting closer to getting back to that area, but we're looking for more from 'Bolly.' "

That certainly opened the eyes of Quenneville's young center.

"Yeah, it's true," Bolland said matter-of-factly.

And boy did the young center respond: scoring the game-winner on a backhand shot that was set up by a beautiful cross slot pass from Jonathan Toews.

His first playoff goal of theseries was just the tonic for Bolland.

"I haven't been at the top of my game," he said. "I keep climbing and climbing and climbing and getting better."

In fact, if not for a quick whistle by referee Chris Rooney during a first-period scrum in front of the net, Bolland might now have 6 career playoff goals in two years instead of five, but he's not complaining ... really.

"That first one, I was hoping (it counted), but it was called back," Bolland said. "I was buzzing a little more today, I was getting in faces ... I was playing my game.

And it's been a while since Bolland could say that. Missing the first three months of the season due to back surgery and working his way back into game shape has been a slow, laborious process.

"It's tough coming back from back surgery, but you can't use that as an excuse," said Bolland, who missed the first 41 games of the season and finished up with just 6 goals and 10 assists.

"The three months, it's almost like a summertime, it's almost like an off-season," Bolland said. "Not doing anything over that time; it's pretty boring and it's on you're mind.

"It was a struggle, but now I have to come back and get stronger and stronger every game."

He's off to a good start.