Experience has taught Blackhawks to take Cup quest one game at a time

It's one shift at a time. One period at a time. One game at a time.

That's the only way Jonathan Toews approaches playoff hockey, so although it seemed like a legitimate question, perhaps it wasn't surprising that the Blackhawks' captain didn't bite when asked if any season at this point in his career is considered a bust if the team doesn't win it all.

"Well, it's a long road to get there," Toews said. "It's a long enough road to get to where we are right now. Obviously we're happy with how the season's gone and where we're at as a team. We're right where we want to be going into the playoffs. …

"You can't think that far ahead and think about winning the Cup yet. It's one shift, one period at a time and nothing more than that. … Then when you're at the end playing for the Cup, it doesn't feel surprising that you're there.

"But for now we'll worry about this series."

Perhaps more than anything else - more than Patrick Kane's deadly shot, more than Marian Hossa's sensational two-way play, more than Niklas Hjalmarsson's willingness to step in front of pucks flying nearly 100 mph - the Hawks' ability to keep things in perspective best explains their resounding success over the past decade.

They will draw on that wealth of experience once again when Nashville invades the United Center for Game 1 of their opening-round Stanley Cup series Thursday.

Although the Hawks won their last four games against the Predators this season and eliminated them en route to championships in 2010 and 2015, this may not be the ideal first-round foe for coach Joel Quenneville's squad. Nashville sports a deadly combination of top-end skill players like forwards Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen, and a back end that features double-digit goal-scorers P.K. Subban, Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis.

"They got a four-, five-man attack every time," Quenneville said. "Sometimes their defense can lead the attack. … We expect them to be coming."

Goaltender Pekka Rinne, all 6-foot-5, 204 pounds of him, is another obstacle that the Hawks have solved before, but he has the ability to get hot enough that Nashville could shock the hockey world and become the first team since the 2012 Kings to eliminate a top-seeded team in either conference.

"Big goaltender. Never quits on a play," Kane said. "We know he's going to make big saves, we know he's going to be a big part of their team and we've seen in the past where he's played really well against us, too."

The Predators - who were a popular pick to win the Cup back in October - got off to a dismal 3-5-3 start and were still just 17-16-7 after falling to the Hawks on Jan. 8. But it was after that loss when the team finally picked it up, going 22-9-4 in their next 35 games. Along the way, Nashville beat Edmonton three times, Columbus twice and Washington, which won the Presidents' Trophy.

The Preds did finish on a 2-4-2 skid, but clearly this squad has the ability to knock off the best teams in the league.

And the Hawks know it.

"You can't win a playoff series without having a serious challenge," Quenneville said. "That's how close every team is or every playoff series is, was or will be. So we don't anticipate it being any different. We know we have to be at our best."

As dangerous as Nashville might be, if the Hawks are on top of their game, nobody in the West should beat them in a seven-game series. Quenneville's team went an incredible 20-4-2 in February and March before going 0-2-2 in four meaningless games in April.

So here we are.

For the ninth straight season under Coach Q, it's once again time to play for keeps. Time to erase the memories of that first-round exit last season.

And time to go after a fourth title in eight years.

But as Toews said, the journey starts Thursday and not in June.

One shift at a time.

"By no means are we looking past a great team like Nashville," Kane said. "They're a feisty team, always tough to play in their building. A couple of years ago, and even in 2010, those series could go either way.

"It's going to be a tough series, but as far as our group in here, we're ready to get started and excited for Thursday Game 1."

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