For Hawks, it'll be nerves of steel on ice today
The Blackhawks say the nerves they had before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, which they believe contributed to their poor play, are gone.
"I could sense just from the whole game that everyone was a little tense, everybody was a little edgy," Hawks winger Adam Burish said following Monday's morning skate at the United Center ahead of Game 2 tonight. "We didn't have the same feel we had in the previous series.
"Just today, seeing the guys and talking to the guys, a lot of them said they slept so much better last night, they feel so much better and so much looser. Hopefully we'll have a better start and a better full game."
The Hawks didn't feel that settled down until the third period, when they scored the only goal to snap a 5-5 tie.
"One game is under the belt and you know what to expect and what's going on," defenseman Brent Sopel said. "I think everyone will settle down and get back to hockey."
Jonathan Toews said that goes for both teams.
"It's a big stage and a long week just to sit there and think about it," Toews said. "Now I think as team we feel we're back in the routine and can focus on just playing hockey and the small details.
"I expect both teams to tighten up defensively. We want to work harder in the offensive zone and try to draw some penalties."
The Hawks didn't get one power play in the series opener.
"If you look at our team we love the puck possession game," Patrick Kane said. "I don't know if we did enough of that in Game 1, but if you look at some of the plays, two of our defensemen got cut on sticks and sometimes you're hoping for those calls.
"To go a whole game without a power play, I don't think that's realistic."
Nobody is expecting 6-5 again.
"That was as hard a game as any we've played in the playoffs," Burish said. "They're faster than any team we've played and they play a different style. A lot of teams don't want to run and gun the way we do."
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