Blackhawks hold team meeting to keep focus

It's rare when a team calls a players-only meeting the morning after a stirring victory.

But that's what the Blackhawks did Thursday, fresh off their 3-2 win over Carolina in a game that looked and felt like the playoffs.

In fact, that was the main topic at the meeting - maintaining that playoff-like focus and intensity, because nothing is clinched yet and also once the postseason does arrive those are the kind of efforts that need to be put forth every game.

"There are still a lot of games ahead of us, and I think it was a pretty good talk we had," said Martin Havlat, who returns tonight against Columbus after missing one game with a lower-body injury. "There's a lot of talk about the playoffs already, but it's not over yet.

"We have a lot of tough games ahead of us and it's not going to be easy."

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville was happy to see his players get together and talk about taking nothing for granted and playing with the same level of passion and intensity they did against the Hurricanes.

"We want to make the playoffs; that's our priority," Quenneville said. "As we get a little closer maybe we'll start thinking of something else, but right now we have some games and things to consider and that's what we're talking about.

"We don't want to get ahead of ourselves in any way. We've got a lot of young guys, and this challenge of being in the playoff race is new in itself, so let's concentrate on that first."

The Hawks had two rookies who've never been to the playoffs come up huge against Carolina in Kris Versteeg and Troy Brouwer. Both of them had goals in regulation with Versteeg getting what proved to be the winner in the fourth round of the shootout.

Brouwer admitted the game felt like the playoffs, from the intensity to the hitting to the significance of every power play and missed scoring chance.

"Every shift was a battle with lots of hits and lots of grinding it out," Brouwer said. "At the NHL level, or any other level, that's how playoffs are played and that's how we've got to prepare for it."

Brouwer's goal came at 4:51 of the third period off a scramble in front to snap a 1-1 tie. It helped make up for the chance he missed in the first period with the net partly open when he got his stick tied up from behind.

"Every goal is going to be a grind," Brouwer said. "It's going to be second or third opportunities or rebounds. You're not going to score a lot of pretty goals in the playoffs."

While some might question the Hawks' chances in the playoffs with two rookies playing among the top nine forwards, Versteeg and Brouwer might have answered some questions Wednesday with their gritty play.

"I think they've been proving that the whole year, both of them," Havlat said. "They get a lot of chances to be on the ice and they've been pretty good the whole year."

"When you're talking about the success of a team, you need everybody going, whether they're a five-year vet or a rookie, it doesn't matter," Brouwer said. "It's so exciting to be in the NHL and hopefully be a part of the NHL playoffs. It's just amazing, and all the guys are really looking forward to it."

Blackhawks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets at the United Center, 7:30 p.m.

TV: Comcast SportsNet Plus (CLTV)

Radio: WGN 720-AM

At a glance: The Hawks and Blue Jackets are potential first-round playoff opponents. They've met only twice this season with four games still to play. The Hawks are 2-0, winning 4-3 in a shootout in Columbus on Nov. 1 and 3-1 in Chicago on Dec. 14, both times with Cristobal Huet in goal. The Hawks' power play is 3-for-7 in the two games.

Next: New York Islanders at the United Center, 2 p.m. Sunday