Blackhawks road-tested and ready for Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - One of the biggest things the Blackhawks learned as a young team last spring in the playoffs was how to win on the road when everyone and everything seems to be stacked against you.

In hostile environments in Calgary and Vancouver in the first two rounds, the Hawks asserted themselves and won key games at critical points in both series.

That's the challenge again Tuesday night in Game 3 against the Predators at Bridgestone Arena, a cozy building that will be rocking as it would for a Rascal Flatts concert here in the country music capital of the world.

"You're used to playing in front of a loud and exciting crowd here," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said Monday, speaking to reporters at the United Center. "I think we can use that to our advantage. It's going to be a fun place to play, lots of noise, lots of enthusiasm.

"Let's try to quiet the building as best we can. That's why we try to emphasize the starts of the game. Let's make sure we know it's going to be rambunctious in there right off the bat and let's play accordingly."

The road has been good to the Hawks all season as their franchise-record 23 wins away from the UC would indicate.

"We're excited to go in there," winger Andrew Ladd said. "We proved last year we could go on the road and win in the playoffs."

With the best-of-seven series knotted at 1-1, this has the potential to be a swing game, especially if it goes the way of the favored Hawks.

"This is going to be the most critical game," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said.

It's going to be even more important on the road for the Hawks to play a smart and patient game, much like they did in Sunday's tidy 2-0 win in Game 2.

"I liked the effort and the way we competed, but each and every game is going to be more demanding and more challenging," Quenneville said. "I think that's going to be the recipe going forward - strength in the puck areas, tenacity around the net, fighting for that space."

First-year Hawks goalie Antti Niemi has played some of his best games this season on the road, winning in such NHL hot spots as GM Place in Vancouver, Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh and Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

Except for that fluky goal by J.P. Dumont in the series opener that bounced through him, Niemi has been as good as any goaltender in the playoffs. His 23-save performance Sunday was the first shutout by a Hawks goalie since Ed Belfour in 1996.

"That was a great response," Quenneville said. "You're coming off your first playoff game and it was a tough lose. I liked the way he approached the game. Last night was a great test for him and he couldn't have answered it any better. I just like the way he battles."

Niemi's brilliant flashing pad save Sunday on Dustin Boyd three minutes into the second period to keep the score 0-0 was a game-changer, considering how important the first goal is in games involving the tight-checking Predators.

"He made a couple saves that really fired our bench up," Ladd said.

"If you look at it, maybe we're lucky we're not down two games," Patrick Kane said. "Antti made some great saves for us."

<div class="infoBox">

<h1>More Coverage</h1>

<div class="infoBoxContent">

<div class="infoArea">

<h2>Stories</h2>

<ul class="links">

<li><a href="/story/?id=374485">Quenneville likes 'predictability' of Keith, Seabrook<span class="date"> [4/20/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=374451"><b>Murray: Key difference in Game 2: a full 60-minutes of effort</b> <span class="date"> [4/20/10]</span></a></li>

</ul>

</div>

</div>

</div>