Inside the Blackhawks

Blackhawks winger Viktor Stalberg out for Game 2

2013-05-18T15:09:03Z

Speedy winger Viktor Stalberg will be a healthy scratch for the second straight game today as the Blackhawks host the Red Wings for Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Stalberg was scratched for Game 1 to make room for Dave Bolland, returning from a groin injury that kept him out of the first-round series against the Minnesota Wild. Bolland moved to third-line center, bumping Andrew Shaw to right wing and Stalberg out of the lineup.

After an impressive Game 1 win, there was virtually no chance Quenneville was going to put Stalberg back in and shake things up.

"We had to get Bolly in a winning lineup from Minnesota," Quenneville said. "I don't like changing too much, but we wanted to get him in the lineup. It's comparable to what we've done throughout the season. We'll see. We can adapt and we can change at any moment."

The other candidate to be scratched with Bolland's return was fourth-line left wing Daniel Carcillo. But Carcillo played well in Game 1 in limited action, playing just 6:04 but picking up the primary assist on Marcus Kruger's third-period goal.

"I liked his game," Quenneville said. "I liked when he came in the last series, as well. I thought he gave us some energy and purpose behind his game, as well. Not a lot of minutes, but I thought he brought energy to all the shifts, and was in the right spots, too."

Stalberg trying to work his way back into Blackhawks lineup

2013-05-17T17:39:28Z

Blackhawks winger Viktor Stalberg is still in Joel Quenneville's dog house. | AP

Blackhawks winger Viktor Stalberg was still in a white jersey, still skating outside the top four lines at Friday's practice, meaning he'll likely be a healthy scratch again in Saturday's Game 2 against the Detroit Wings.

"It's frustrating, obviously," Stalberg said. "Can't really make it too much about yourself, it's about winning games right now, and we won. It was a good start to the series, that's what it's about right now."

Stalberg shed a little light on to what his benching's about. While Hawks coach Joel Quenneville wouldn't get into specifics, Stalberg said he was told to be more intense and play harder.

"It's nothing you've never heard before," Stalberg said. "Most guys, when they're not playing, get to hear that. Nothing too different, but he wants me to produce more and be more effective out there. Hopefully I can get back and I'll try to make a difference."

]]> Stalberg denied reports earlier this week that he complained about his lack of power play time in the first-round series against the Minnesota Wild.

"[I'll] channel my inner Bryzgalov: Check your sources better, I guess," he said with a laugh, a reference to Philaelphia Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov recent criticism of the media. "No, that was not accurate."

With Dave Bolland re-entering the lineup and moving back to the third line occupied by Stalberg, Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell, and Quenneville not particularly pleased with the team's performance against the Wild, Stalberg made it sound like he was simply the odd-man out. Stalberg had one assist (in Game 1) and was a plus-2 in the Wild series.

"I felt pretty good in the first series, the puck didn't bounce maybe my way toward the end," he said. "But I think we were pretty effective as a line. I think he wasn't happy with the team's performance, and he chose to take me out of the lineup. That's how it is, I'll live with that. Obviously it's frustrating, but I'll do what I can to support the guys and to be back in the lineup as soon as I get the chance. I'll try to make a difference when I'm back in there."

Stalberg will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, but he said the benching won't affect his future, saying it's just part of the business.

"No, I don't think so, I think this is part of it," he said. "Whether I'm here next year or not, we'll see what happens. That's something we'll talk after the year. It's nothing I'm really too concerned about at this point. We'll figure that one out after hopefully we hoist the Cup here."

Quenneville: Stalberg benching unrelated to reported dispute

2013-05-16T18:03:37Z

Joel Quenneville refuted multiple reports Wednesday that Viktor Stalberg was benched for Game 1 against the Detroit Red Wings because he complained about his lack of a role on the power play during the first-round series against the Minnesota Wild.

A source said Tuesday that Stalberg had been benched for questioning his role after getting only one power play shift during the five-game series.

"That story's 100 percent inaccurate," Quenneville said. "Viktor didn't play, he knows the reasons why. It has nothing to do with anything about our conversation. It was strictly nothing to do with that. At all. That situation wasn't even addressed."

Quenneville still did not elaborate on why Stalberg was benched, pointing out that with Dave Bolland re-entering the lineup after being out with an injury, "Somebody had to come out."

He pointed to some of the tough decisions he's had to make all year, particularly with the rotation of defenseman Michal Rozsival and Sheldon Brookbank throughout the regular season, as an example of players sitting despite deserving to play. Stalberg played 47 of 48 games this year, and all five against the Wild.

"This year we had some tough decisions as far as who plays and doesn't plays," Quenneville said. "We had the rotation on our back end with Brooksie and Rozy ... every game one of them had to sit out. It was definitely unfair for those guys, but that's the situation we're in, where we have to make some tough decisions."

Quenneville has been reluctant all season to tinker with his lineup after victories. When asked if Stalberg could be sitting out again for Saturday's Game 2, all he said was, "We'll see."

Blackhawks vs. Red Wings, Western semis game 1: photos

2013-05-16T12:29:19Z

A look at some of the images shared on social media during Wednesday night's 4-1 win for the Blackhawks over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Wings' Babcock wants to make it a 'grind-fest' vs. Hawks

2013-05-15T17:46:17Z

Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock, whose team has lost seven consecutive games to the Blackhawks, has a skilled team but knows better than to get into a track meet with a Blackhawks team that is equally skilled and has so much speed that Viktor Stalberg is expendable in a big playoff series.

''To me, the big thing for us is they have a real mobile back end and we have to get into that group or they're going to be on offense all the time,'' Babcock said Wednesday after the Red Wings' morning skate at the United Center prior to Game 1. ''If we don't get into that group, it's going to be a track meet up and down the ice. We don't need a track meet. We need a grind fest.

''We have to be very, very good with the puck. Take care of the puck. If we turn the pucks over and don't get through the neutral zone it's going to be a long series for our team.''

]]> As for Joel Quenneville's decision to sit the speedy Stalberg for Game 1, Babock would not say how that might impact either team.

''What I've learned over the years is that their coach knows their team better than I do,'' Babcock said. ''So there's no sesne second-guessing him very much. He's going with the team he thinks gives them the best chance to win. He's a competitive guy who wants to win.''

Babcock seemed pleased that the NHL gave his team an extra day of rest after beating the Anaheim Ducks in Anaheim in Game 7 of their opening-round series. The additional day also figures to be a negative for the Blackhawks, who have been off since clinching their first-round series last Thursday.

''I like what's happened for us for sure,'' Babcock said. ''I'm a big believer that you race to four. You try to get it done as fast as you can. I've said that all along, all through the years. In some of the years, it hasn't helped the team when we've had too much time off. I guess the way I look at it is, whatever happens to you, you turn it into a mental advantage for yourself. That's how you live life. That's how you have success in life.''

Blackhawks' Toews, Red Wings' Datsyuk are Selke finalists

2013-05-15T17:42:19Z

The Western Conference semifinals between the Blackhawks and Red Wings will feature two of the best two-way players in the game, as both Jonathan Toews and Pavel Datsyuk were named finalists for the Selke Trophy, given to the league's top defensive forward, on Wednesday. Boston's Patrice Bergeron was the other finalist.

For Toews, it was his second nomination in three years. For Datsyuk, a three-time winner of the award, it's his sixth straight nomination.

Toews said individual awards weren't the focus, but that's it's nice all the same.

"It's a good feeling, for sure," Toews said. "For a while, it was [Patrick Kane] and I being mentioned in the hart conversation, and I don't think you get to that point without having great teammates and a great team behind you. The same goes for this. It's definitely an honor and something special. You look at the other two players that have been nominated and it's an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as those two guys. So it's a pretty cool feeling."

The Hawks felt it was an easy choice.

"A lot of things make him special defensively," said Hawks rookie Brandon Saad. "His compete level is amazing. He's a two-way player, that's who he is. He works hard, he's determined, he's always hard on th epuck, he makes simple plays. It's well-deserved."

Detroit coach Mike Babcock said Toews' value goes beyond numbers, and also beyond defense.

"What he does on film is one thing," Babcock said. "That's not what makes him what he is. How tough he is mentally, how [good he is] every day, what a great person he is -- that's what makes him the conscience of this team, the captain that he is. I like him a lot."

Saad has had the privilege to play alongside two of the top two-way players in the world in Toews and Marian Hossa, a supremely gifted defender who again was overlooked in favor of centers. For Saad, who patterns his style after theirs, it's been a perfect situation.

"That's something I want to emulate my game around, I want to be that type of player," Saad said. "Thats' how I've been grown up, and that's what I want to continue to do. So having two role models like that, it's been a great year for me, for my confidence and my learning."

Blackhawks' Stalberg benched for Game 1 vs. Red Wings

2013-05-15T16:23:41Z

Blackhawks winger Viktor Stalberg wasn't happy with his power play time during the first-round series with the Minnesota Wild. Now he's not playing at all against the Detroit Red Wings.

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville declined to go into specifics about why he has benched the speedy third-line right winger for tonight's Game 1. But a source said that Stalberg was at odds with the coaching staff over his role in the first-round series against the Wild. Stalberg had three seconds of power play time in Game 1, 55 seconds in Game 2, and none in the next three games. He averaged 2 minutes, 11 seconds of power play time per game during the season, but had no goals and two assists with the man-advantage in 47 games.

"I had a conversation with him," Quenneville said. "He knows how it stands, what the situation is. We'll leave it at that."

At Wednesday's morning skate, Stalberg was again on the outside of the top four lines. With Dave Bolland back in the lineup at third-line center, Andrew Shaw moved over to Stalberg's spot on the right wing. Daniel Carcillo was skating on the fourth line with Marcus Kruger and Michael Frolik.

After Tuesday's practice -- the third straight in which Stalberg was in the dreaded white jersey, signifying his spot outside the top four lines -- Stalberg had little to say about his demotion. As for his own play in a five-game series win over the Minnesota Wild, in which Stalberg had one assist and a plus-2 rating, Stalberg simply said, "We won 4-1, right? So that's good."

Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said that the team's depth up front makes it a tough lineup to crack, and that someone's always on the outside looking in.

"It doesn't mean we're not conscious of what those guys are doing for this team," Toews said. "It's never an easy thing, but that's what makes us a good team, is we've got some good players that may not be able to play every night."

Quenneville said that Stalberg could still work his way back into the lineup, one way or another, later in the series.

"Absolutely," he said. "Things change in our business quickly, whether it's health or decisions based on play. We'll visit as things go along."

Slay the dragon? Hawks just want to beat the Red Wings

2013-05-15T14:21:27Z

It's a nice storyline, but Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville isn't buying into the romantic notion that their Western Conference semifinal playoff series is an opportunity to exorcise a demon or slay the dragon by finally beating the Red Wings in a postseason series.

''No,'' Quenneville said when asked if the Red Wings were a hurdle his team needed to clear. ''Winning the Cup, you have to take on the best comers. I think we had a good chance [against the Red Wings] five years ago -- it's amazing how long ago that was.

''We haven't faced them since then. I don't know if that series was as dominating as 4-1 against us. But I thought it was a good learning curve for us. A young team learning from one of the teams that knows how to win -- defending Cup champs. I think there's an education there from them. But now it's a whole new challenge. Their playoff tested. They know how to play. they know how to compete. They know what's ahead of them.

''But I think we've learned as well. I think we applied it the following year [in winning the Cup in 2010]. So you can't pick and choose who you're going to play in the course of a playoff year. We had some great challenges that year. It was a good test the last three years. I'm not particularly [saying] it's one team against another. We have to make sure whatever hurdle or challenge we have, it's how we prepare ourselves and be respectful for what they can do. Let's take care of our own business.''

That said, this year's Stanley Cup playoffs is evolving into a Tournament of Champions of sorts. The Hawks might have to beat the 2008 champion Red Wings in this round, the defending champion Los Angeles Kings in the conference finals and either the 2011 champion Boston Bruins or 2009 champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the Finals to earn their second Stanley Cup in the past four seasons.

]]> The Hawks rightfully earned the last one. They might have to negotiate an even more difficult route this time to win it all again.

For some, the Red Wings are a convenient next step on that road.

''Yeah, that would be nice, for sure,'' Patrick Kane said. ''I know we've had some success against them in the regular season in years past, but they have our number I guess in the playoffs - the one year we played them [2009], they beat us in five games. It'd be nice to get a little redemption there and prove that we can beat them in a seven-game series.''

Patrick Sharp, who also played in that 2009 series, understands the significance for Hawks fans.

''There's a number of good teams in the West. The Wings are one of them and they have been for a long time,'' Sharp said. ''I'd like to think that we feel we want to beat anyone we play in the playoffs. The fact that we're matched up against the Wings and the fans are into it, that just brings a little more excitement to the games.''

History on Blackhawks' side vs. rival Red Wings

2013-05-15T13:59:17Z

The Blackhawks don't think their recent dominance over the Red Wings -- they've won seven straight games against them -- gives them any kind of edge heading into their Western Conference semifinal series that finally begins Wednesday night at the United Center.

And ''dominance'' might be a bit misleading. The Hawks have won six of the seven games by one goal. Four went into overtime. They won three by shootout. In fact, 10 of the last 12 games between the Hawks and Wings have been decided by one goal (and another was a one-goal game until the final 90 seconds).

''It's a fresh slate. It's a new season. We're starting even and clean,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''I think we have to look at it one day at a time and one game at a time. You look at all the games this year, discounting the one game [a 7-1 Hawks rout at Joe Louis Arena], every game was a close game and a tight game where anything could have happened.''

For what it's worth, history still favors the Blackhawks. Since the end of the 2004-05 lockout, only one of 11 teams has had a 3-0-0 or better record against an opponent in the regular season and lost to that team in the playoffs. The only time it happened was in 2008, when the Montreal Canadiens were 4-0-0 in the regular season against the Philadelphia Flyers, but lost 4-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

]]> Still, as Hawks fans know, anything can happen against the Red Wings. In 1992, the Hawks were 1-5-2 vs. the Red Wings in the regular season, then swept them in the second round en route to the Stanley Cup Finals.

''The hatred is there between us and the Red Wings,'' Hawks forward Dave Bolland said. ''Now that they're leaving our conference, it's even bigger, too. I thought we were going to see the last of them at the end of the season, but it's good to see them again. I think we've got to be ready for them. We can't take them lightly.''

Stalberg's status for Game 1 still up in the air for Blackhawks

2013-05-14T18:23:01Z

For the third straight practice, Viktor Stalberg found himself in a white jersey, skating outside the top four lines. And he wasn't in much of a mood to discuss it.

"I don't really have anything to say about it," he said "Ask Q."

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said on Saturday that both Saad and Stalberg needed to pick up their play. But Saad was in the white jersey for just one day, while Stalberg has yet to be freed from it. Quenneville and Stalberg haven't discussed his status for Wednesday's Game 1 yet.

"Stay ready," Quenneville said was his message to Stalberg. "Nobody said he's out of the lineup. Make decisions tough on us. ... We'll address the situation when the time is right."

Stalberg had one assist and a plus-2 rating in the first round against Minnesota. When asked to assess his own play, he curtly said, "We won 4-1, right? So that's good."

Rockford call-up Ben Smith has been skating with the top four lines in Stalberg's stead the past few practices. He was in Stalberg's spot on the third line on Monday, and skated in Michal Handzus' spot at second-line center Tuesday. Quenneville said Handzus is "fine" and will play in Game 1, so Smith and Stalberg are both up in the air.

Smith had three goals in the Hawks' first-round loss to Vancouver in 2011.

"I'm ready if called upon," Smith said. "It'd be exciting. ... You never know what can happen. I'm always prepared. At some point, hopefully it'll happen and I'll be ready to go."

Blackhawks-Red Wings playoff schedule set

2013-05-14T03:53:22Z

The NHL released the schedule for the Blackhawks-Red Wings Western Conference semifinal series:

Game 1 -- Wednesday, 7 p.m. at the United Center

Game 2 -- Saturday, noon, at the United Center

Game 3 -- Monday, 6:30 p.m., at Joe Louis Arena

Game 4 -- Thurs., May 23, 7 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena

Game 5 (if necessary) -- Sat., May 25, TBA, at the United Center

Game 6 (if necessary) -- Mon., May 27, TBA, at Joe Louis Arena

Game 7 (if necessary) -- Wed., May 29, TBA, at the United Center

Blackhawks looking forward to facing rival Red Wings

2013-05-13T18:39:04Z

The Blackhawks expect the next step into the Stanley Cup playoffs to stoke their intensity after a workmanlike effort against the Minnesota Wild in the opening round. That the opponent is the Detroit Red Wings does not hurt matters.

''There's going to be quite a bit [of emotion],'' captain Jonathan Toews said after the Hawks practiced Monday morning at Johnny's Icehouse West. ''It's always been a good rivalry. Especially during the regular season. We haven't seen them in the playoffs for three years. [It's] something a lot of people seemed to talk about during the season, if it's a potential matchup what would happen. And here we are.''

Game 1 will be Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the United Center. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, with the time to be determined. The rest of the series schedule will be announced after Monday night's playoff games complete the opening round.

]]> Though the Hawks were 4-0-0 against the Red Wings this season and have won seven consecutive games against their rivals, Toews and the Hawks know exactly what to expect from a Red Wings team that beat Anaheim 3-2 in Game 7 of their opening round series Sunday night.

''That same relaxed, patient, experience that they've shown in the playoffs -- that makes them a tough team to beat,'' Toews said. ''They've got some veteran guys who have won Stanley Cups and they understand what it takes to win during playoff time, and that's the reason they came out on top.

''It's a seven-game series, and no one knows that maybe as good as the Detroit Red Wings, and they showed it in that series against Anaheim. We've got to be ready to be as tough as we can. Some of their top guys and the guys that make their team click.''

Though the Hawks were unbeaten against the Red Wings in the regular season, three of the games went into overtime and two were won via shootout -- including a 2-1 victory at Joe Louis Arena when Patrick Kane scored the tying goal on a power play with 2:02 to play to extend the Hawks' season-opening unbeaten string to 22 games. So you can argue that they only beat the Red Wings twice in playoff conditions -- 2-1 in overtime and 7-1 at Joe Louis Arena.

''It's a new season. We're starting even and clean,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''I think we have to look at it one day at a time and one game at a time. You look at all the games this year, discounting the [7-1] game, every game was a close game and a tight game where anything could have happened.

''We were fortunate in the one game to tie it up late [on Kane's goal]. Probably the best game and the most exciting game we had all year was the one in Detroit ... which was an amazing game. But we expect that kind of pace.''

The playoff matchup against the rival Red Wings will bring plenty of emotion from both team's fans. And while the Hawks respect the firepower and history of the team that set the standard for excellence in the NHL, they still feel as the best team in hockey in the regular season that they control their own destiny.

''When we played Detroit and the teams in our division the intensity is right in place and the motivation's in place,'' Quenneville said, ''whether it's the tradition, the animosity, from the fans all the way to the players. It's a special history there. We want to make sure we take care of our own business. [Detroit is] a strong hockey team that plays with a purpose. We're going to have to be at our best. But let's welcome it and look forward to it.''

Blackhawks draw Red Wings in the Western Conference semis

2013-05-13T05:09:37Z

The Blackhawks-Red Wings rivalry will go out with a bang.

The two Original Six franchises and longtime arch-enemies will meet in the Western Conference semifinals this week, following Detroit's Game 7 victory at Anaheim on Sunday night. It will be the last time the Hawks and Wings meet as conference rivals, as Detroit heads to the Eastern Conference next season. Game 1 will be Wednesday at the United Center, followed by Game 2 on Saturday. The rest of the schedule will be released on Monday.

The Hawks swept the season series, winning all four games, and have won seven straight against the Wings dating back to last season. But Detroit won its last four games in the regular season to get into the playoffs, and rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to beat the second-seeded Ducks -- a team that beat the Hawks three times this season.

"They had a big run to get in the playoffs, and you watch them in games, you know how they're intelligent, they know how to win, they know how to play the right way," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "They keep themselves in the play. We know how dangerous they can be."

Hawks goalie Corey Crawford has been sensational against Detroit. In his career, he's 11-2-2 against the Red Wings with a 1.82 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage. Those are both career-bests against any team he's faced more than twice.

The Hawks, especially since eliminating the Minnesota Wild in five games, have been paying close attention to the Ducks-Wings series. Following a roller-coaster of a Game 6, in which the Wings blew a 3-1 lead late only to win in overtime, Hawks winger Patrick Sharp praised Detroit.

"That's the Red Wings' type of game," he said. "I've seen them in that situation down 3-1, I've seen them up 3-1. They don't change the way they play, and that's one of the reasons why they've been successful for a long time. They're a team that's pretty resilient. That series has been fun to watch.

Had the Ducks won the series, the Hawks would have faced the San Jose Sharks. Sharp had no preference.

"No, not really," he said. "I dislike both teams equally. So no matter who we play, it's going to be a pretty intense series. Both teams skate well, they're physical, they're well-coached, and it's going to be a battle. Hopefully we can use this time off to heal up, to get focused and play our best hockey."

Blackhawks will face rival Red Wings in conference semis

2013-05-13T05:04:33Z

The Blackhawks officially had no preference who they faced in the Western Conference semifinals. But Blackhawks fans are getting the team they wanted -- the rival Detroit Red Wings.

Justin Abdelkader scored a shorthanded goal on a breakaway to break a tie game in the first period and Jimmy Howard stopped 31 of 33 shots in goal as the Red Wings beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in Game 7 of their first-round series Sunday night in Anaheim.

That sets up a second-round match between the top-seeded Blackhawks and the seventh-seeded Red Wings, who had to hustle down the stretch -- going 4-0-0 in the final week of the regular season -- to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since the 1989-90 season. Games 1 and 2 will be Wednesday and Saturday at the United Center, according to the Red Wings.

The Blackhawks won the season series with the Red Wings 4-0-0, but three of the games went to overtime.

]]> The Hawks won 2-1 on Nick Leddy's goal in overtime on Jan. 27 at the United Center; they won 2-1 in a shootout on March 3 at Joe Louis Arena, when Corey Crawford stopped Pavel Datsyuk, Damien Brunner and Henrik Zetterberg in the shootout; they won 7-1 on March 31 at Joe Louis Arena as Jeremy Morin, Brandon Saad and Dave Bolland scored first-period goals; and they completed the regular-season sweep with a 3-2 victory in a shootout on April 12 at the United Center after Jonathan Toews tied the game with 2:57 left in regulation.

Crawford was in goal for all four victories. He had a 1.19 goals-against average and a .960 save percentage (121-of-126) against the Wings.

''I don't know. I can't explain it,'' Crawford said when asked if the Wings bring out the best in him. ''One of those teams I guess that has gone well for me this year. Every game's different. Who knows? We've had some big games against them this year, obviously. It's one of those years I guess against a team where you've played well and everything has gone right for you.''

The Hawks' sweep of the season series is not likely to be considered a harbinger by either side in the playoff series, though many experts consider the Red Wings a more favorable matchup than the San Jose Sharks, who would have been their opponent had Anaheim won Game 7 against the Wings on Sunday night.

''It's almost a team like ours,'' Crawford said of the Red Wings. ''Obviously a puck control team. They skate well. Move the puck well. Lot of skill. Lot of patient players with the puck.

''They're d-men, it seems, like a lot of shots and screens from the point. A lot of big shots from the point. I don't know what else.''

The Blackhawks are coming off a 4-1 series victory over the Minnesota Wild and have not played since Thursday night. Though the Blackhawks-Red Wings rivalry will be a dominant storyline, the Blackhawks have been good enough this season that they feel they control their destiny.

''It's always been about our game and our job and what we can do and how we can play,'' Crawford said. ''We're going to stick with that.''

''The series will definitely get a lot tougher as you go along,'' said Patrick Kane. ''Our next opponent's going to be ready for us ... You've got to come out and play hard because you see when we do, we have a lot of success when we really push the pace.''

Along those lines, the Hawks are expecting the next round to bring about an increase in intensity.

''That's what we've talked about ever since Game 1 [of the Wild series],'' Patrick Kane said. ''I don't know if we've reached the level we think we should be at. That goes for me. That goes for everyone. Hopefully we can improve upon that.''

The Blackhawks lost to the Red Wings in the Western Conference finals in 2009 (4-1) and 1995 (4-1). Their last victory over the Red Wings in a postseason series was a sweep in the 1992 division finals en route to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Blackhawks' Bolland will be ready for Game 1 -- but where?

2013-05-11T18:26:11Z

Dave Bolland will be in the lineup for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. So the question no longer is when, but where?

While Bolland has been out with a groin injury since April 22, Michal Handzus has taken Bolland's second-line center role and ran with it. Bolland could be headed back to his old role on the third line, even if it means breaking up the successful grouping of Bryan Bickell, Andrew Shaw and Viktor Stalberg.

"We love tough decisions," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "We'll visit with that over the next couple of days. But we look forward to having him in the lineup and looking at other options."

Bolland said it's not up to him where he plays. But after an up-and-down season between Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp, he sounded like a guy who's more comfortable in that irritant-agitator checking-line role he played so well in recent seasons.

"I've been successful on the third line," he said. "That's sort of been my thing. This year's been an up-and-down roller coaster for myself. But I think that's in the past and this is now, so I have to concentrate on the playoffs. That's where I've played and that's where I've had most of my success."

Sending a message
Both Brandon Saad and Viktor Stalberg were out of the top four-line rotation for Saturday's practice, wearing the dreaded white jerseys. Stalberg skated on the "fifth line" with Jamal Mayers and Brandon Bollig, while Saad skated with defensemen Ryan Stanton and Sheldon Brookbank.

Saad had just one point in the first round, and Quenneville said after the practice that he wanted him to "keep it simple." Saad said he got the message.

"Even without him saying anything, I know my play wasn't at my best," he said. "I've got to get better each game, each round. ... I'm motivated, for sure. Not playing your best is something you use as motivation, really."

Emery back
Backup goaltender Ray Emery also will be back in Game 1, which will be at the United Center on either Tuesday or Wednesday. He hasn't dressed since aggravating a lower-body injury in Edmonton on April 24.

"I'm just happy to keep getting better and better," he said. "I felt good in there. It's good that we have a few days here to kind of regroup between series and I'm excited to get back, and hopefully I can get back as soon as possible."