Brouwer ready to play if Hawks need him

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — While Dave Bolland might not be available until later in the series, the Blackhawks could have Troy Brouwer in the lineup for Game 1 tonight against the Canucks.

Brouwer, who hurt his right shoulder last week when he missed a check in Montreal, had a good practice Tuesday and said he was ready to play if coach Joel Quenneville needed him.

“I felt good out there and playoffs is the time when maybe you have to play through a few things and for me it’s no different,” Brouwer said. “I feel good and I can only tell the coach how I feel and it’s his decision what’s going to happen next.

“We’ll talk and we’ll figure it out and see how things go. Sometimes he likes to keep the same lineup and if that’s what needs to happen, I respect that. I feel I’ll be ready to go whenever Q calls on me.”

Brouwer, who went his last 22 games of the regular season without a goal, said he would have no problem playing physical despite the bum shoulder.

“I’m comfortable and confident right now that I can jump in,” Brouwer said. “Once you get in the heat of the game a lot of things that you’re feeling, you don’t pay attention to anymore.”

Quenneville wouldn’t say anything about his lineup following Tuesday’s practice.

“I thought both guys (Brouwer and Bolland) skated well in what was basically a full practice,” Quenneville said. “It’s a possibility (Brouwer will play). We’re hoping that it’s a possibility.”

First timers:The Hawks could have no less than five players making their playoff debuts tonight: Nick Leddy, Jake Dowell, Michael Frolik, Ben Smith and Viktor Stalberg.Corey Crawford appeared in 16 minutes of a playoff game for the Hawks in 2009.#147;I#146;ll just prepare the same way and it#146;s still the same game,#148; Crawford said. #147;It was nice to play 57 games and I#146;ll use all that experience I got to prepare for these games.#147;I#146;m sure I#146;ll probably be a little bit nervous. It#146;s only normal going into your first playoff (start).#148;Joel Quenneville is hoping the excitement of the moment brings out the best in those Hawks who haven#146;t been in the playoffs before.#147;The new guys that are with us have to be excited about a chance to make the playoffs and a chance to win a Stanley Cup,#148; Quenneville said. #147;Certainly the excitement of being around the guys that have that experience, there are things that can be related to these guys and at the same time the excitement and emotion of playoff hockey, getting these guys exposed to it, can raise the pace of that level.#148;Power up:The Hawks head into the playoffs 1-for-21 on the power play, but it#146;s not a concern for defenseman Duncan Keith.#147;You always want to have your power play going good, but I#146;m not to worried about the power play,#148; Keith said. #147;We#146;ll worry about playing hard and smart and working hard to create our chances to get on the power play. Once we get those chance we#146;ll do our best to capitalize.#148;