Blackhawks know it won't be easy as series shifts to Calgary

After a pair of frenzied, come-from behind victories at the United Center to kick off their quarterfinal series with Calgary, the Blackhawks know what's in store for them Monday night when they take the ice against the Flames for Game 3.

Think a big bucket of chum tossed overboard amid a hungry sea of red at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

"You kind of feel like you're the bait in the shark tank," Hawks forward Adam Burish said. "I know when you play in Calgary their crowd goes crazy and they feed off that - that's the hardest part.

"All of a sudden you're kind of reeling in your end."

And it won't take long for the Hawks to determine whether they're going to need a bigger boat.

"The first five minutes are going to be huge," Burish said.

"Maybe even 10," countered Hawks coach Joel Quenniville.

Whether it's five minutes, 10 minutes or somewhere in between, the Hawks take their 2-0 series lead into Calgary knowing they cannot afford yet another slow start.

"We've got to be ready to go; we can't come out lackadaisically," said forward Dustin Byfuglien, whose big hit on Mark Pardy in the opening minute Saturday served as tone-setter. "We've got to be ready to go right off the hop."

"That's the challenge that we face," Quenneville said. "The start's going to be a priority."

As it will be for the Flames and the raucous fans in Calgary, where there was a waiting list for the chance to buy tickets for this series.

"That sea of red they have there - it's one of the coolest places to play in the playoffs, I've always thought," Burish said. "You ask people around the league and they all say Calgary is one of the hardest places to play.

"The next couple of games are going to be the hardest games we've played all year."

Saturday's 3-2 victory marked the 19th time in franchise history the Blackhawks have won the first two games of a postseason series. They are 16-2 all time when leading 2-0 heading into Game 3.

They are in that position despite falling behind 2-0 early Saturday. A power play goal by Jonathan Toews started the comeback as the Hawks, behind some solid defense and the Bulin Wall - goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (30 saves) - doused all Calgary hopes of leaving town with a split.

"Once again we got off to a great start, but we knew Chicago would come back at us in the second period and we didn't respond," Calgary coach Mike Keenan said. "We let them take control of the game in the second period.

"They took advantage of their opportunities."

The Hawks' 3-goal, second-period rally began with a Toews power-play goal in the opening minute and finished with the captain scoring the game-winner in the final minute of the period at even strength.

"It was tough to go down 2-0, but the power play gave us a momentum boost which we carried through the second (period)," Toews said. "We were more relaxed and held the puck better in the second and third periods.

"To hold Calgary to zero goals in the final two periods gives us confidence as we head on the road."

<p class="factboxheadblack">Tonight's faceoff</p> <p class="News">Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome, 8:30 p.m.</p> <p class="News"><b>TV:</b> Comcast SportsNet</p> <p class="News"><b>Radio:</b> WGN 720-AM</p> <p class="News"><b>At a glance:</b> Down 2-0, the Flames may need to win Game 3 if they have any hope of taking the best-of-seven series. Calgary coach Mike Keenan now has last line change as the home team so look fo rhim to try and keep Jarome Iginla away from Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Flames defenseman Cory Sarich tried to play Saturday, but his foot didn't respond and he likely goes back out of the lineup.</p> <p class="News"><b>Next: </b>Calgary Flames in Game 4 of the Western Conference quarterfinals, 9 p.m. Wednesday.</p> <div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=287662">Khabibulin's play has coach, teammates in awe<span class="date">[4/20/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=287663">Hawks' on-the-job playoffs training going just fine so far<span class="date">[4/20/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=287664">Murray: Hawks can't keep falling behind<span class="date">[4/20/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>