For Hawks, avoiding the hype part of the game plan

While the city might have Stanley Cup fever, the Blackhawks are doing their best not to catch it as well.

It's difficult not to get excited by where the Hawks find themselves, just two wins away from the Finals after winning the first two games of the Western Conference finals in San Jose - especially after the wow factor of Tuesday's 4-1 victory in Game 2, when the Hawks played about as well as they could.

The Hawks can put a stranglehold on the series with another win Friday night in Game 3 at the United Center, but trying to avoid the hoopla that is taking place all over town isn't easy for them.

"Chicago is expecting some great things and so are we, but at the same time you want to take that excitement and use it on the ice," Hawks center John Madden said. "You've got to channel it the right way.

"It's good to be excited and have a lot of energy, but you don't want to get caught up in all the talk that's going on and stuff like that. Maybe turn your radio off, TV off, and even turn your cell phone off, for that matter. You have to be focused on the goal."

To that end, Hawks coach Joel Quenneville will take the team to a hotel after Friday's morning skate in an attempt to capture the focus and preparation of being on the road.

The Hawks are 7-1 on the road in the playoffs and just 3-3 at the UC since starting the playoffs on April 16 with a loss to Nashville.

"We'll try to change it up a little bit, but we want to make sure the focus of how we play on the ice is what we're talking about," Quenneville said.

The players were all in favor of getting away from the distractions for the afternoon.

"I've done it my whole career in New Jersey," Madden said. "We actually spent the night before there and the whole day the next day. I think it's a good thing. The guys were up for it and we wanted it so we did it. It's more time together talking about the same goals."

Quenneville said the buzz around town is a great thing but expects his team to realize there still is business to finish this series with the Sharks before anyone can even dare to think about the next one.

"We should all feel fortunate as players and coaches, as the Blackhawk organization - it's fun to be a part of the community and the enjoyment everybody is having with the Hawks and the enthusiasm that's around, be it with our kids at school or going to a restaurant in town," Quenneville said.

"Everyone is noticing and everybody is taking about it, but it's something on a day like today you want to guard against, where everybody is telling you how great you are. (Game 3) is the focus and the challenge, and we want to make sure we're grounded in the same way."

It's become a love affair with the Hawks on many fronts. They play a dashing style of hockey with an edge in an electric building and have a collection of big-game players who are also the most likeable and approachable athletes in town.

Patrick Sharp was on the team when there weren't many more people in the stands for games than there were reporters in the dressing after practice on Thursday. Sharp admits it's an exciting time to be a Hawks player, but he also knows that 2-0 leads in series have been known to slip away quickly.

"When you start looking ahead you're only setting yourself up to get smacked, and we're playing a pretty good team in San Jose that is looking to do that," Sharp said. "If anyone tells you they didn't think about (advancing), they're lying, but there's a way to manage it and focus on what you need to do right now.

"As soon as you start thinking ahead you're going to get yourself in trouble. We have to respect who we're playing and realize how close the series really is."

"Sure, you dream a bit," defenseman Brian Campbell said. "But it's not talked about a whole lot in this locker room. We're really in the moment right now."

<div class="infoBox">

<h1>More Coverage</h1>

<div class="infoBoxContent">

<div class="infoArea">

<h2>Stories</h2>

<ul class="links">

<li><a href="/story/?id=382384">Toews staying humble as his starpower soars <span class="date">[5/20/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=382397">A fine young Ladd Hawks forward keeps the production moving <span class="date">[5/20/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=382322">If the game turns nasty, Hawks say it's no problem<span class="date"> [5/20/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=382326">Hawks should have edge with Game 3 matchups<span class="date"> [5/20/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=382356">Hawks are a hot ticket - and getting hotter <span class="date"> [5/20/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=382239">Murray: Blackhawks can take game even higher <span class="date">[5/20/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=382354">Sharks' challenge: Keeping their cool <span class="date"> [5/20/10]</span></a></li>

</ul>

</div>

</div>

</div>