Blackhawks' Bickell gives it his best shot during playoffs

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Bryan Bickell said last year that he would have to live in an ice tub if he played the whole regular season like he does in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

A look at the number of hits Bickell dished out before Game 3 against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night shows why. After racking up 11 hits in Game 1 and 12 more in Game 2, both at the United Center, Bickell led all players in the playoffs with 58 hits through his first eight postseason games.

That's an average of 7.25 a game, which would amount to 594 over an 82-game season. New York Islanders forward Matt Martin led the league this season with 382 hits.

"I'm not surprised," said forward Andrew Shaw, who played much of the year as Bickell's center on the third line. "He's got a big body, and he throws it around. He steps up when it is time for big games. We need him to do that."

In this series, Bickell is playing left wing on the second line with Brad Richards and Patrick Kane. He didn't have a point in the first two games, but he's using his 6-foot-4, 223-pound frame to make life difficult for Wild defensemen. It also opens space for Richards and Kane to operate.

Most of his hits are just small bumps, but he has delivered a few bone-jarring blows as well.

"I think it gives a jolt to the team," Bickell said. "I know what I bring and what they want (from me). On home ice, it jolts the fans and it gets me going.

"Finishing and making a hit to make a play is important for this team because we've got a lot of skill."

D-Icy situation:

The Xcel Energy Center was without power for part of Monday night, and there was some talk that the ice got mushy during the Hawks' morning skate Tuesday.

Wild coach Mike Yeo didn't think it would be a problem come game time.

"They were thrown a curveball last night, but they did a great job as far as handling it," Yeo said.

Andrew Shaw's response? "It is still better than at the UC, so guys are excited to play on something like that."

At the movies:

Minnesota coach Mike Yeo sat his team down Monday for a film session so they could watch the horror show that was a 4-1 Blackhawks victory in Game 2.

"It's one thing to say it, but we needed to see it," Yeo said. "The approach that we took right from the drop of the puck was not the right one."

Tip-ins:

This ugly stat (for the Wild), courtesy the Minnesota Star Tribune: Through 13 playoff games in three years, Mikko Koivu has no goals, 2 assists and is a minus-12, while defenseman Ryan Suter has no goals, 4 assists and is a minus-13. … The Hawks have won their last 17 playoff series when leading 2-0. …

Right wing Chris Stewart, whose right shoulder hit the United Center boards hard in Game 2, sat out Game 3. He was replaced by 24-year-old center Jordan Schroeder, who only played in 25 games in each of the last two seasons. … Duncan Keith and Tampa Bay's Andrej Sustr entered Tuesday's action tied for first with a plus-8 rating in the playoffs.

• Daily Herald correspondent Brian Hedger contributed to this notebook.