Hawks' Ladd focusing on game, not Kesler rematch
While everyone around him seems to think the bad blood between Andrew Ladd and Vancouver's Ryan Kesler might result in the second coming of Ali-Frazier III, the Blackhawks forward is looking at it much differently.
"The team goal and everything we are trying to do in here trumps any personal vendettas or whatever you have," Ladd said. "We're looking to do what we want to do as a team against this team and that's staying out of the box and playing disciplined hockey."
Ladd's check of Kesler in last year's playoffs broke Kesler's nose and the Vancouver forward tried for a little payback last January, but was stopped on one punch from Ladd.
Might the bad blood continue in this series, and if so would it be such a bad thing?
"It definitely doesn't hurt," Ladd said. "You definitely get fired up and ready to play and that never hurts, especially going into a playoff series.
"It was what it was, I guess. It was funny at times, I guess. For me, what we are trying to do in here is a lot more important than that. I don't think it will be a big deal.''
New D-man: The move of Dustin Byfuglien from the blue line to forward means either Nick Boynton or Jordan Hendry will move into the lineup against Vancouver, but which player it will be remains a mystery.
"We have both options, both guys can play and give us something," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said after practice Thursday. "We'll see how it plays itself out."
A real Dagger: A popular Youtube video out now shows Vancouver players in the locker room listening on headphones to "Chelsea Dagger" by the Fratellis, the song played after most Blackhawks goals at the United Center.
Reaction from Vancouver players in the clip ranges from "Hate that song" to "Bad memories."
That's certainly not the case for Patrick Kane, whose hat trick in series-clinching Game 6 last season made it seem as if the song was on an endless loop.
"That song was played a lot in Game 6," Kane said. "Hopefully we can keep that song playing around here in the United Center for a while."
Different ballgame: The Blackhawks against a team from a non-hockey crazed southern town in the first round vs the Blackhawks against one of Canada's own in Round 2?
Discuss.
Jonathan Toews: "We know this going to be an entirely different animal, especially when we get to Canada and you already see the attention that these games bring playing against a Canadian team. It's incredible."
Patrick Kane: "You have that rivalry with certain teams that you don't like and it seems sometimes they're mostly Canadian teams - the Canadian media and the way things .... I won't say get blown out of proportion by the media, but how they get pretty hyped up."
He said it: Low-key Dustin Byfuglien on his switch from defense to forward: "Whichever, whatever. I'm going to get the ice time so whatever they want me to do, I guess. I'll go out there and I'll do it. That's the way it is."