Toews breaks Mikita's mark

When Jonathan Toews assisted on Patrick Sharp's second-period, power-play goal Friday night, it nudged Hall of Famer Stan Mikita out of the Blackhawks' record book.

"You know, if it was something that happened during the regular season, I would be willing to comment on it, talk about it a little bit more," Toews said after the Hawks' overtime victory.

"But I think it's a good feeling to be in company of a great player and a great person like Stan Mikita. Especially when it's in the postseason, when these games matter the most.

"It's a cool thing. You've got to give as much credit as you can to your teammates and your team. I just tried to show up and play as good as I can every single game.

"A lot of things have to go right for you to accomplish something like that. It's just a small thing that's nice to enjoy, but we're inching closer as a team to where we want to be."

While some of the hockey world might be surprised to see how good Toews is, it's something those who have watched him play every night for the last few years already knew.

"He's an elite player in the game; he's one of the best, and if he wasn't getting the attention before he sure did deserve it," teammate Adam Burish said.

"To us it isn't surprising he's playing so well. Everybody is like, 'He's come out of nowhere.' No, he hasn't come out of nowhere. He's been awesome for the last couple years here. He leads that way, and he plays that way."

Works both ways: The Sharks' plan for Game 3 was to try to use the raucous United Center crowd to their advantage, particularly the national anthem.

"You know, certainly the energy in the building and the anthem help the Blackhawks," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "You feel some shivers on the bench when you're the opposition. It can get you going, too.

"I know some of our players, when they first experienced it, they enjoyed playing in that environment, the noise and the excitement.

"There are some rinks you go to in the league where you've got to find a way to poke yourself, get yourself going. This isn't one of them. If you're not prepared to play in this type of environment, shame on you."

The Hawks didn't have another great start on home ice and the building got quiet at times.

"That national anthem gets everybody going on both sides," Hawks center Patrick Sharp said. "I think there were times in that Vancouver series we came out flying and maybe just overworked or wanted it too badly and it worked in the other direction."

Big difference: When Trent Yawney coached the Hawks it was during some of the leanest times in franchise history.

Yawney is an assistant coach with the Sharks now, but his family still lives in the suburbs, so he knows firsthand how wildly popular the Hawks are now.

"It's amazing in the city of Chicago now," Yawney said. "Our son is 12 years old and he knows who most of those players are.

"I think that was lost there for a long time. There wasn't a connection with that age bracket.

"Byfuglien, Kane, Toews, Duncan Keith - these kids at 12 years old or 11 years old, they've identified who these guys are in Chicago, and I think that's pretty neat."

Been there, done that: The experience two-time Stanley Cup winner John Madden has brought to the Hawks' dressing is showing up big time now in the playoffs.

"You really notice his presence around the team, in the locker room, on the bench," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "His experience of being in the situations before certainly helps us and helps the group as well.

"I just think he's really showing and talking, whether it's telling the guys the right things that are needed."