aid. Im excited to play with him tonight.Practice on Saturday had changes on the forward lines as well but Quenneville said Sunday morning well see what happens in regards to the lines.The lineup changes arent the Hawks big concern. Solving the Predators defensive system is. Hendry summed it up in one sentence. They protect the middle of the ice really well and theyre good in their defensive zone too, so I think we have to get the puck deep and keep it out of the middle, he said.Most Hawks felt the first 40 minutes of Game 1 were fine. The final 20 were, obviously, not.Well learn from it, Kris Versteeg said. Were a confident group. Weve been through adversity as a team before.NOTES:Brian Campbell practiced again on Sunday but there was no announcement on when he would play. He skated again, Joel Quenneville said. His conditioning and strength is improving daily.There was no new update on Kim Johnsson. He remains out of the lineup suffering from concussion-like symptoms.
Observations from Game 1:After the game, some of the Hawks mentioned that the ice wasnt particularly smooth as a result of the basketball floor being down since last Sunday. No one could say for sure if it played a part in the bounce that fooled Antti Niemi on the Predators first goal. Ive heard previously from players that the United Center ice isnt exactly among the best in the league.There was mixed reaction in the dressing room as to the effect the Predators first goal had. Some felt it did change the momentum in the game, others thought it was just one play and it didnt even put the Hawks behind on the scoreboard. Most believed it did give Nashville a jolt, which would be expected.Joel Quenneville, obviously,Authentic Bobby Hull Jersey, wasnt pleased by the turnover committed by Troy Brouwer which led to the Predators second goal. In talking to the players all week, it was exactly the type of play they were trying to avoid, especially in a tight game. Look for the Hawks to learn from that mistake.I know it sounds like a clich��, but offensively the Hawks just need to battle harder and longer. Their talent will win out, but only if its matched by their work ethic. They did it for 40 minutes. They need to do it for 60, even when they are on the receiving end of a bad bounce.Dustin Byfuglien told me one instruction the coaches gave him before game one: hit the net. The result? Zero shots credited for number 33 to go along with four missed shots. Oops. Patrick Sharp led the Hawks with six shots on goal.
The reuniting of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook is an interesting move by Joel Quenneville. His only real response to why hes doing it is their familiarity with each other. My take is twofold. Seabrook is a little more predictable than Dustin Byfuglien,Authentic Patrick Sharp Jersey, and certainly more steady as a pure defensive defenseman. With Seabrook next to him it may allow Keith more freedom to contribute on offense and, at the same time,Niklas Hjalmarsson Authentic Jersey, to play more instinctively. The only problem with this theory? Quenneville downplayed it when I asked him about it Sunday morning, but no one can argue Keith is m