Jonathan Toews took a jab at the refereeing after Saturday's 4-1 loss to Detroit.
"There's a lot of clutch and grab, lot of interference, and if they're going to let that go, that's something we need to know," Toews said. "It's just tough to understand sometimes why we get roughing and hooking penalties, [and] that doesn't go both ways. If that's the way they're going to play, we need to play the same way." Toews added that he anticipates Game 3 in Detroit will be even more difficult for Chicago than Saturday's defeat.

Corey Crawford kicked out 26 of 30 shots in a 4-1 defeat on Saturday.
This is just the second time Crawford has allowed three or more goals in a 2013 playoff contest and, not coincidentally, the second time Chicago has been defeated in their postseason run. The pressure is now on Chicago to capture at least one of the next two games in Detroit to reclaim their home ice advantage in the second round. It's worth noting that the Blackhawks actually had a better road record in the regular season (18-4-2) than the Red Wings had home record (13-7-4).

Patrick Kane scored a goal in Chicago's 4-1 defeat Saturday afternoon.
It was Kane's first goal of the playoffs and it put Chicago up 1-0 in the first period. Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, they were unable to build off of Kane's early efforts. Michal Handzus and Patrick Sharp each registered an assist. Dave Bolland spent a team-high six minutes in the sin bin. Brandon Saad had five shots on goal, but was held off the scoresheet.

Michal Handzus will play on Saturday despite missing Friday's practice.
That's not too much of a surprise, but Handzus has now missed three straight practices. There's been speculation that he's playing through a back injury. All the same, he'll skate alongside Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp on the second line.

Viktor Stalberg won't participate in Game 2.
Stalberg was also a healthy scratch for the opening game of Chicago's second-round series against Detroit. Stalberg recently spoke to Quenneville about what he needs to do to get back into the lineup. "Nothing too different, but he wants me to produce more and be more effective out there," Stalberg said.

Michal Handzus may be dealing with a sore back.
Handzus played in Game 1 but has missed the last three practices and the rumor mill suggest that he has a sore back. Coach Joel Quenneville says that Handzus will be available Saturday for Game 2 but if he is unable to go, then Ben Smith will take his spot between Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp. Stay tuned.

Dave Bolland played in Game 1 and his linemates were happy to have the pesky center back in the lineup.
Bolland missed the final couple of games of the regular season in addition to the first round of the playoffs with a groin injury but was back between Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell on the third line. "We had some good chances and we felt good. It felt like we got that chemistry back," Bickell said. "For his first game back, I thought (Bolland) played pretty well. The first period for our whole team was OK, but the second and third we picked it up, and he had a good second and third, too."

Ben Smith centered the second line in practice Friday.
Smith replaced Michal Handzus between Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane but Handzus is expected to be back in the Chicago lineup for Game 2 Saturday. It was thought that Smith could play in Game 1 in place of Handzus but Handzus was in his regular spot when the game began and ended up playing 17:01 minutes while winning seven of 11 faceoff draws.

Viktor Stalberg may not be in the Chicago lineup once again in Game 2 Saturday.
Stalberg was a healthy scratch in Game 1 and was wearing a white jersey in practice Friday, a sign that he would not be dressing for Game 2. Stalberg is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season but doesn't think sitting in the press box during the playoffs will affect that status. "Whether I'm here next year or not, we'll see what happens. That's something we'll take (up) after the year," Stalberg said. "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."

Michal Handzus didn't participate in Chicago's practice on Friday.
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said that Handzus will still be available on Saturday, but it's worth noting that Handzus has now missed three practices during the postseason. All the same, Quenneville insists that Handzus is "fine."

Duncan Keith missed Friday's practice, but is still expected to play on Saturday.
This might be a sign that Keith is playing through an injury, but he's been averaging 23:31 minutes per game in the postseason. With that in mind, it wouldn't be the least bit surprising if the Blackhawks simply felt that he would benefit more from a day off than another practice.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville would like to see Viktor Stalberg play with more intensity.
"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 was a healthy scratch for Game 1 of Chicago's second-round series.

Joel Quenneville has been nominated for the Jack Adams Award.
Quenneville's Blackhawks posted a 21-0-3 record before they finally suffered their first regulation time defeat. What's remarkable about his squad is that they never really suffered through a rough patch. In the end they were 36-7-5 and captured the Presidents' Trophy. Quenneville previously won the award in 2000.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville won't announce if Viktor Stalberg will return to Chicago's lineup for Game 2.
Stalberg was a healthy scratch in the series opener because of Dave Bolland's return. Stalberg is a solid secondary scorer with nine goals and 23 points in 47 regular season games.

Michael Frolik and Marcus Kruger have been a big part of Chicago's penalty-killing success this year.
Chicago has not surrendered a power-play goal in the playoffs. "They've been real solid all year," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "When they started at the beginning of the year it was a work in progress, and they've progressed in a real nice way. They're first and third on each kill, they're blocking shots, they're getting in lanes and play at a good pace. It's gotten them more of a role, more ice time. And that line played well all year, so a real nice fit for us." They've been something of an unlikely duo, especially seeing as Frolik wasn't known for killing penalties before coming to Chicago. All the same, they've become valuable pieces of the Blackhawks' squad.

Patrick Kane thinks his nomination for the Lady Byng Trophy is a reflection of how much he's grown as a player.
Kane accumulated 52 penalty minutes as a rookie, but he's been cutting down on the bad penalties. This year he only ended up with eight penalty minutes in 47 contests. "Any time you're up for an award it's exciting," he said. "I thought I had a chance at this one. It kind of speaks volumes in how my game's gone since my rookie season. I took a lot of unnecessary penalties and I got that out of my game. It's an honor for sure." Most fantasy owners are in the unusual position of actually benefiting from penalty minutes, but Kane staying out of the sin bin certainly helps his team.

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville denied reports that he scratched Viktor Stalberg on Wednesday night because the winger questioned his lack of ice time on the power play.
"First of all, that story is 100 percent inaccurate," Quenneville said Thursday. "Viktor didn't play, he knows the reasons why. It's nothing to do with anything about our conversation. It was strictly nothing to do with that at all. That situation wasn't even addressed." He said that someone had to come out to make room for Dave Bolland's return and "tough decisions" had to be made.

Patrick Kane has been nominated for the Lady Byng award.
Kane had 55 points and eight penalty minutes in 47 games. That's a career-low for him in terms of PIM and down from 40 in 2011-12.

Daniel Carcillo had his first point of the playoffs on Wednesday.
Carcillo assisted on Marcus Kruger's goal in Chicago's 4-1 win over Detroit. Carcillo started this season as a potential top-six forward, but he's been relegated to a supporting role. He's not expected to even play in every game, but his blend of physical play and limited offensive capabilities should help the Blackhawks in their playoff run.

Marcus Kruger scored a goal in the Blackhawks' 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Kruger has two goals and three points in his last two games. He's a bottom-six forward for the Blackhawks and isn't expected to consistently contribute from an offensive perspective.

Johnny Oduya found the back of the net against Detroit on Wednesday.
Oduya has two goals and three points in six postseason contests. He also had a plus-three rating on Wednesday, which puts him in a tie for the team lead with a plus-six playoff rating.

Marian Hossa scored a power-play goal in Chicago's 4-1 victory on Wednesday.
Hossa is now on a four-game point streak. He's been one of the Blackhawks' best players in the playoffs so far with four goals and seven points in six games.

Corey Crawford was upbeat after Chicago's 4-1 victory over Detroit.
"I thought that was probably our best game of the postseason so far," said goaltender Corey Crawford. "We had a lot of pressure, put lot of pucks on net and we were skating great. It was one of our better performances." It might not be surprising to hear a player speak positively after a victory, but keep in mind the Blackhawks have been very hard on themselves. Even after outscoring Minnesota 8-1 in the final two games of the first round, there was plenty of talk about the need for them to get better. For them to express this level of satisfaction in a victory is actually a bit of change of pace for them.

Corey Crawford made 20 saves as Chicago defeated Detroit 4-3 in the first game of their second-round series Wednesday night.
Crawford really never had to be a difference maker tonight for the Blackhawks because of how much zone time his teammates had in the other end of the ice. He allowed the goal in a seven-shot first period, then faced five and nine shots, respectively, over the next two frames. Crawford has a 1.27 goals-against average and .950 save percentage in the postseason and remains a very strong play in playoff fantasy pools.

Patrick Sharp had a hand in three of the Blackhawks' goals in their 4-1 win over the Red Wings in Game 1 of their semifinal series Wednesday night.
Sharp potted an empty-netter, and he had two helpers. He was excellent in this game, also leading the team with seven shots on goal. Sharp now has six goals and an assist in the playoffs. As The Sporting News' Jesse Spector notes, the Blackhawks have yet to lose this season in regulation with him in the lineup; he's played in 34 games. Marian Hossa, Johnny Oduya and Marcus Kruger scored the other goals for the Blackhawks, who were relentless on the attack all night. Niklas Hjalmarsson, Nick Leddy, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews picked up helpers.

Ray Emery is expected to suit up in Wednesday's semifinal opener against Detroit.
He is slated to dress as Corey Crawford's backup after missing the first round with a lower-body injury.

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville is glad to have Dave Bolland back in the fold.
Bolland is set to play in Game 1 against Detroit after missing the first round of the playoffs with a groin injury. "It's nice to have him back. He brings that intangible," Quenneville said. "He's a reliable guy in the middle of the ice, he checks well, plays hard and elevates his game in the playoffs. We're excited to have him back as well." He will play between Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell on the third line on Wednesday night.

Andrew Shaw is projected to shift to the wing when Dave Bolland returns to the lineup on Wednesday night in Game 1 against Detroit.
Bolland is slated to center Chicago's third line in his 2013 playoff debut. Shaw had four points and 14 hits in five games against Minnesota in the first round.

Viktor Stalberg wasn't among Chicago's top four lines during Wednesday's morning skate, which further suggests that he'll be a healthy scratch in Game 1 against Detroit.
He has skated as an extra forward for the last few practices after playing 47 games during the regular season and all five of the Hawks' playoff contests in Round 1. Stalberg had one assist and eight shots versus Minnesota in Chicago's quarterfinal series.

Jonathan Toews is a nominee for the Selke Trophy.
Toews tied for the league-lead with 56 takeaways and ranked third in the NHL with a plus-28 rating. He also ranked second with a 59.9 faceoff percentage. Toews will face stiff competition from Pavel Datsyuk and Patrice Bergeron as he goes for his first Selke Trophy.

Ben Smith might be in the Blackhawks' lineup for Game 1 of the second round.
Smith hasn't played yet in the 2013 postseason, but Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville didn't want to rule out the possibility. Smith practiced on Chicago's second line on Tuesday. "I hope it happens but you can never predict," Smith said about playing. "Those decisions aren't in my control. When I got the call to practice with the team it was obviously thrilling. I'm improving just with these practice days."

Viktor Stalberg practiced as an extra forward again Tuesday afternoon.
Stalberg was short when asked about his status Tuesday, telling the media corps to "Ask Q," which of course refers to coach Joel Quenneville. For his part, Quenneville had almost nothing to say about Stalberg's status for Wednesday's Game 1."Stay ready," Quenneville said when asked what Stalberg needs to do to get in the lineup. "Nobody said he's out of the lineup. Make decisions tough on us." OK then.

Michal Handzus will play in Wednesday's Game 1 despite not practicing with the team this week.
Handzus got a "maintenance day" on Monday and coach Joel Quenneville said Tuesday that Handzus was "fine." He should take part in Wednesday's morning skate and is expected to center Chicago's second line.

Brandon Saad was back practicing with the top line again Monday afternoon.
Saad was skating with the fifth line on Saturday and coach Joel Quenneville let some not-so-subtle shots out at the rookie through the media. We thought he might get a game in the press box but it appears like Saad will be back with Jonathan Toews to start the Hawks' second-round series.

Viktor Stalberg may be a healthy scratch in Game 1 Wednesday of Round 2 against Detroit.
He did not skate on any of the team's top four lines during Monday's practice. Coach Joel Quenneville said, "we'll see" when asked whether Stalberg would play when the semifinals of the Western Conference begins. He had one assist in Game 1 versus Minnesota in the opening round, but didn't get a point after that.

Marian Hossa is expecting a "tough series" against the Detroit Red Wings in Round 2.
"Maybe we had their number during the season but they were all tight games except one," he said. "They're playing extremely well from what I saw in the game in the playoffs against Anaheim. We're going to need to elevate our game." The Blackhawks defeated the Wings all four times during the regular season, but three of them were decided after regulation.

The Detroit Red Wings will be facing a tough netminder in the second round in Corey Crawford.
There were plenty of doubters heading into the playoffs as to whether or not Corey Crawford would be able to play well in the post-season but Crawford excelled against the Wild as he was 4-1 with a 1.32 GAA and a .950 save percentage. He has been sensational against the Red Wings during his career as he is 11-2-0 with a 1.82 goals-against average and .943 save percentage. The Red Wings may be in tough against Chicago if Crawford continues to be on his game.

The Chicago Blackhawks will face the Detroit Red Wings in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
It will be a battle between two original six teams and the series is expected to get underway in Chicago Wednesday with Game 2 Saturday. It will then return to Detroit for games on May 22 and 24. Chicago swept the four games the two teams played against each other in the regular season but it was a lot closer than it looked as Chicago won once in regulation, once in overtime and twice in a shootout. The Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks will play off in the other Western Conference series in a California series.

Duncan Keith has played well alongside Niklas Hjalmarsson since the duo were paired up over a month ago.
Keith had played with Brent Seabrook for most of the last nine seasons but coach Joel Quenneville wanted to change the pairings so Seabrook got a new partner in Nick Leddy while Keith and Hjalmarsson were matched up. "I played with 'Hammer' one time," Keith said Saturday. "We were joking around about that. I think it was one game in San Jose, so that's once out of (all or parts of) six seasons, but we played good together that game. For me it's easy to play with him. He chips the puck out, gets it in, it's real simple. I think the fact he likes to stay home allows me the confidence to get up in the play, knowing he's gonna be back. It's not that hard. You just read off of each other. Defense is one position where it's all about positioning."

Ben Smith replaced Brandon Saad on the top line in practice on Saturday.
Smith played alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. Smith played most of the season in the minors but was recalled for the last game of the regular season. He scored in the final regular season game, but did not see any action in the first round of the playoffs. Smith was a surprise star in the 2011 playoffs as he scored three times in seven playoff games against the Canucks. The Blackhawks will be very pleased if he is able to come anywhere close to that performance this season.

Brandon Saad and Viktor Stalberg practiced on the fifth line Saturday.
Should this occur during the next round, then both will find themselves in the press box as the Blackhawks will roll with 12 forwards and four lines. Saad struggled in the first round. "Keep it simple and advance the puck, don't always feel like you have to make a play. Use your speed, put the puck in areas, and just have some more offensive zone shifts," Quenneville said about the rookie. Look for Saad to get back on the top line but he may need a game or two in the press box.

Do not be surprised to see Bryan Bickell on the first line during round 2 of the playoffs.
Bickell played on the third line with Andrew Shaw and Viktor Stalberg against the Wild in the first round and responded with three goals. Coach Joel Quenneville thought that Bickell had a very good opening round and thought his "size and physicality were noticeable". "It's up to 'Q' (Quenneville) what we do," Bickell said. "If I'm playing with (Jonathan) Toews or (Marian) Hossa, we got to work what we can do. If our line sticks together, we'll do the same thing. We're comfortable with what everybody brings to the team." Stay tuned.

Dave Bolland (groin) will likely center the third line when he returns to action in the second round.
Bolland did not play in the last week of the season and also missed the first round of the playoffs with his groin injury but was at practice Saturday between Andrew Shaw and Viktor Stalberg. "I've been successful on the third line, that's sort of been my thing," Bolland said. "This year has been an up-and-down roller coaster. That's in the past, this is now, and you have to concentrate on the playoffs. (Third line is) where I've played and where I've had most of my success - but whatever happens, happens." Bolland has been a very good scorer during his NHL career in the playoffs with 14 goals and 37 points in 49 games.

In addition to Dave Bolland, the Chicago Blackhawks anticipate that Ray Emery will be available whenever their second-round series starts up.
It's unlikely that Emery will see action in that Game 1 unless Corey Crawford suffers from an injury or an awful game, but it's always good to have a backup plan ... especially when the opponents are likely to put up more of a fight.

The Chicago Blackhawks seem pretty well convinced that Dave Bolland will bring his agitating game to the lineup whenever their semifinals series kicks off.
Bolland has been flirting with a return for a while now, but the Blackhawks might have been wiser to give him plenty of time to heal during a winnable series. While he's far from an offensive dynamo, his value increases by how much you believe he can advance in the playoffs with his powerhouse team.

Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews understands why he wasn't a finalist for the Hart Trophy despite enjoying a great season.
Toews acknowledges that Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and John Tavares are all worthy candidates for the award and even went as far as to say teammate Patrick Kane would also have been a good choice. "There's another guy across the room that deserves it just as much, probably more," Toews said. "To have two guys in the talks like that, it always shows that you have a great supporting cast. It's nice. It's an honor. But you don't get to that point if your team doesn't have success the way we did this year. So huge credit to those guys."

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville wasn't satisfied with his team's play in the first round.
Chicago won 3-0 and 5-1 in their last two games and eliminated the Minnesota Wild in five contests. "I'm not doing cartwheels over the last two games," Quenneville said. "I still think we have to be better. There's another level we need to get to, to be more consistent and ratchet up the playoff pace." Chicago certainly has a long way to go if they want to win the Stanley Cup. Most Presidents' Trophy winners lately seem to struggle in the postseason and the Blackhawks are trying to avoid that fate.

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews weren't selected as finalists for the Hart Trophy.
Kane led the Hawks with 55 points in 47 games, which placed him fifth in the league's scoring race, while Toews had 48 points and a plus-28 rating over 47 contests. Chicago finished with the best record in the NHL, but Hart nominees Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and John Tavares are very deserving finalists.

Patrick Sharp had five goals and six points in Chicago's five-game first-round series.
"It's always nice to score, especially in a win," Sharp said. "I feel like I got better as the series went on as far as making plays with the puck and kind of raising my level away from the puck. Goals are going to come when you least expect them. They seem to be going in right now so hopefully I can ride that as long as I can." Sharp's 2013 season wasn't necessarily bad, but he didn't find the back of the net nearly as often as we've become accustomed to. It looks like he's shaken that off for the playoffs though and that's providing the Blackhawks with a big boost.

Marcus Kruger scored the game-winning goal in Chicago's 5-1 victory Thursday night.
It was also Kruger's first goal of the 2013 playoffs. Perhaps his biggest role with the Blackhawks is as one of their penalty killing leaders, but he will also provide them with some secondary scoring.

Jonathan Toews ended his scoring slump on Thursday.
Toews had no points in the first four games of Chicago's first-round series against Minnesota. However, Toews managed to pick up two assists on Thursday. That might give him a little extra confidence going into the next round. Chicago did just find without Toews being an offensive leader in this series, but there will come a point where they'll be looking to him to score or set up the big goal.

Corey Crawford leads the NHL with a 1.32 GAA in five playoff games.
Crawford almost posted a .950 save percentage to lead the Blackhawks past the Minnesota Wild. He was superb in the regular season and has dashed any fear that he would collapse under the weight of the playoffs. Chicago has the potential to win the Stanley Cup this season and that's partially due to Crawford.

Corey Crawford wasn't tested much Thursday night but the goaltender was solid when he had to be in the Chicago Blackhawks' series-winning 5-1 rout of the Minnesota Wild.
The Wild never gave the Hawks much competition in this opening-round series, which Chicago took Thursday. Crawford, who stopped all 25 shots he faced in Chicago's 3-0 shutout over the Wild Tuesday, turned aside 19 of the 20 Minnesota fired at him Thursday. Crawford has his share of doubters but he was solid in most of this lopsided series, surrendering only seven goals in the five games.

Right winger Marian Hossa scored two goals and picked up an assist to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-1 rout of the visiting Minnesota Wild Thursday night.
The victory enabled the Blackhawks to win their opening-round playoff series 4-1 over the Wild and they advanced to the second round of the post-season for the first time since they captured the Stanley Cup championship in 2010. Thursday's game was never close. Hossa gave Chicago a 1-0 lead in the first period with his second playoff goal this season. Marcus Kruger made it 2-0 early in the second period with his first post-season goal before Hossa stretched the lead to 3-0 at 6:26 of the second. Andrew Shaw connected on his first goal of the playoffs to give the Hawks a 4-1 lead after two periods. In the third period, Patrick Sharp continued his hot post-season with his fifth goal of the playoffs. It was a power play goal on which Hossa drew his assist. Toews also collected an assist on Sharp's goal, his second assist on the night. The assists also were Toews' first two in the post-season. Defenseman Duncan Keith also had two assists (third and fourth) for the winners.

Dave Bolland's ailing groin will keep him on the sidelines for Game 5 on Thursday.
"I'm still day-by-day," Bolland said. "It's getting better. I just want to make sure it's strong. I'm hopefully playing for that Round 2. I'll keep on working at it and making sure it gets better." He's been "close" to returning for a few days now, but that's how coach Joel Quenneville continues to classify his status. Chicago needs one win to advance to the next round of the postseason and they'll be looking to get it Thursday night.

Patrick Kane doesn't want to see this series head back to Minnesota for a Game 6.
Chicago has a chance to secure its place in the second round with a victory tonight. "That's right where our minds are at right now: take advantage of the situation," Patrick Kane said. "We've put ourselves into a good spot; coming back home, it's an exciting opportunity for us. Tomorrow should be a good challenge. I'm sure they'll come out with their best game but it's definitely a good opportunity to close out here at home." Only one of the last four Presidents' Trophy winners have advanced past the first round, so the Blackhawks are also on the brink of defying a recent trend.

Dave Bolland (groin) is considered doubtful for Game 5 on Thursday.
Bolland had 14 points and a minus-seven rating in 35 games this season. He has been a great two-way center for Chicago in previous playoff runs and should help them out when he's ready. So far though, they haven't needed him as the Blackhawks have a 3-1 hold on their first-round series.

Ray Emery (lower body) probably won't return Thursday.
Emery isn't expected to start when he's healthy unless Corey Crawford gets injured or falters. Given that neither of those things have happened yet, there's no reason for Chicago to rush Emery back.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville is trying to prevent his team from letting up after their 3-0 victory on Tuesday.
"Yesterday's game, that's probably the minimum standard we should be looking for, and let's go," Quenneville said. "Whether it's patience with the puck or simplicity with our game, our energy and compete level has got to be only one way. It's got to be all out. That's something we want to make sure is going to be in place." Chicago has taken a 3-1 series lead over Minnesota, so they're in a commanding, but also dangerous position. If they take the pressure off of themselves now, the Wild can claw their way back into this series.

Duncan Keith logged 23:57 minutes on Tuesday despite a severe lack of sleep.
Keith went to Chicago for the birth of his son and then flew back to Minnesota for Game 4 on Tuesday. He said after Chicago's 3-0 victory that he hadn't gotten any sleep since Monday morning. "I might sleep until the next game," he remarked. He finished the game with a plus-two rating, two shots on goal, and two blocked shots.

Andrew Shaw registered an assist on Tuesday.
That gives Shaw three points in four playoff games. He brings a nice blend of offensive and physical play that the Blackhawks should find useful. His team will have a chance to advance to the second round with a win on Thursday.

Bryan Bickell scored a goal in Chicago's 3-0 victory on Tuesday.
Bickell has stepped up in the playoffs, finding the back of the net in all three of Chicago's wins thus far. He's not expected to maintain his current pace, but he should be a valuable secondary scorer for Chicago in this postseason run.

Patrick Sharp continues to fill the back of the net, leading the Blackhawks with two goals in the team's 3-0 Game 4 win.
After an injury-riddled campaign, Sharp looks completely healthy through the first four games of the opening round. He's been a force in each contest, and Minnesota doesn't seem to have an answer for him. Bryan Bickell also added to his surprising playoff start with his third goal of the series.

Corey Crawford stopped all 25 shots he faced in Chicago's 3-0 Game 4 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday.
Crawford has been on his game throughout the series, having allowed just six goals over the first four games. He's continued the momentum he built during the regular season, and has led the Blackhawks to a commanding 3-1 series lead. Look for Crawford to shut down any Wild attempts to make a comeback in this series.

Daniel Carcillo is likely to play Tuesday in Game 4 versus Minnesota.
It looks like he'll suit up and Brandon Bollig will sit as a healthy scratch after playing in Chicago's previous postseason contests.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville says Daniel Carcillo "could play" in Tuesday's Game 4.
Carcillo has been a healthy scratch for the first three games of the series but the Blackhawks could be looking to add more of an edge to their lineup for Game 4. With Quenneville, "could play" usually means "will play," but we likely won't have confirmation until pregame warmups.

Duncan Keith will be back in time for Game 4 after his wife gave birth to a baby boy Tuesday.
Keith's absence would've been a huge hit to Chicago and we imagine goalie Corey Crawford is quite happy hearing that the Blackhawks' top blueliner will be in the lineup Tuesday night. Keith has one goal, three points and a plus-2 rating in three games so far this postseason.

Dave Bolland (groin) and Ray Emery (lower body) will not dress for Tuesday's Game 4.
Neither Bolland nor Emery has played in the Blackhawks' opening-round series, but both players said Monday they're close to a return. Bolland is likely the closer to a return of the two since he's been skating. Once he returns, Bolland will go back to centering Chicago's second line, while Emery will back up starter Corey Crawford.

Marian Hossa says the Blackhawks' top line has to do a better job of going to the net in Game 4.
Chicago's top unit of Hossa, Jonathan Toews and rookie Brandon Saad only has one goal through three games in the series. Sometimes, despite the talent level, it's the "ugly" goal that gets skilled players going, which is something both Hossa and Saad pointed out Monday. "There are stints in the game where we're having good zone time and playing well, but most of (the shots) are on the perimeter. We have to get in the dirty areas, get to the net and shoot some pucks," Saad said.

Joel Quenneville said he wants the Blackhawks play with intensity again in Tuesday's Game 4.
The Blackhawks struggled at times during the series opener but were all over the ice in Game 2. They appeared to take their foot off the gas in Minnesota's Game 3 win, but you can tell Qunneville's notion has gotten through to the locker room. Nearly every player quoted Monday said the Hawks needed to be more "intense" Tuesday night. A Chicago win in Game 4 would put the Hawks up 3-1 heading back home for Game 5, which would be very tough for Minnesota to overcome.

Brandon Saad was named a finalist for the Calder Trophy on Monday, but he only has the playoffs in mind now.
"Right now, I'm focused on playoffs, me personally," he said. "It's always nice to get individuals awards and be recognized but the main goal right now is beating Minnesota." Saad led all rookies with a plus-17 rating and posted 27 points in 46 games.

Brandon Saad is getting used to the intensity that comes with the playoffs.
Saad played in two NHL playoff games last season but it is different this year as he is a member of the top line in Chicago. "Definitely the intensity picks up," Saad said. "Other than that, hockey is hockey. Games mean more, but in the end you have to come to play regardless. I'm feeling better every game." Saad has been held off the scoreboard thus far but will look to break loose Tuesday in Game 4.

Jonathan Toews has been struggling offensively in the first three games of the opening round series against the Wild.
Toews has only one assist as he garnered it on the power play in Game 1. The whole line of Toews, Marian Hossa and Brandon Saad has struggled with Hossa scoring on the power play while Saad is pointless. "We have to shoot the puck more, it comes down to that," Toews said. "We're not getting pucks to the net and we're passing up chances and trying to make too many plays. The (Wild) have good sticks (and) there's a lot of obstruction out there. You can't go out there and try to make pretty plays. It's got to be ugly and we're not doing that enough. Once we start doing that, we have the strength, the speed (and) the skill to get on the board and make things happen and take it out of their hands instead of just letting them be the guys that shut us down. It's more up to us than anything." Stay tuned.

Ray Emery (lower body) was unable to play on Sunday.
Emery skated but did not dress as Corey Crawford was backed up in net by Henrik Karlsson. Emery could be back as early as Tuesday for Game 4 but will likely back up Crawford if he is healthy enough to dress.

Dave Bolland (groin) skated before Game 3 but did not play and is still questionable for Game 4 Tuesday.
Bolland has to be getting close to returning as he has skated on the weekend. He will center the second line upon his return, between Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp.

Both of the Chicago Blackhawks' goals came from defensemen in their Game 3 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.
Johnny Oduya and Duncan Keith found the net, with Keith's tally sending the game into overtime. It wasn't enough, however, as the Wild ended up reducing the Blackhawks' series lead to 2-1.

Corey Crawford played well but lost as his Chicago Blackhawks fell 3-2 in OT to the Minnesota Wild in Game 3 on Sunday.
Crawford stopped 34 out of 37 shots, so it would be surprising if Ray Emery - who's attempting to recover from an injury - ends up replacing him. A second consecutive loss could change that, however.

Ray Emery and Dave Bolland don't appear to be available for Game 3, but Game 4 remains a possibility.
Both players skated on Sunday. While they've been ruled out for today's game, the next Wild-Blackhawks skirmish could happen. Bolland's more likely to see action with Corey Crawford playing well, but Emery's impact could be larger considering the scarcity of goalies in the playoffs.

Michal Handzus has played very well as the Blackhawks second line center in the first two games of the playoffs.
Handzus is centering Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp as regular center Dave Bolland is out of the lineup. Bolland is slated to sit out Game 3 as well so Handzus will get the call again. Handzus has an assist and a plus-two rating in two games.

Ray Emery (lower body) has been ruled out for Game 3 on Sunday.
Emery is skating, so it might not be long before he returns. He's not likely to get any playing time once he's healthy. Corey Crawford has been superb through two postseason games with a 1.32 GAA and .946 save percentage.

Dave Bolland (groin) will not return for Game 3 on Sunday.
The good news is that Bolland was on the ice Saturday. The Blackhawks have a 2-0 series lead against the Minnesota Wild.

In 13 career playoff games with the Chicago Blackhawks, right winger Michael Frolik has six goals, including two he scored Friday in his team's 5-2 triumph over the Minnesota Wild.
In 138 regular-season games with the Hawks, he has 11. "I don't really know what it is," Frolik said. "I'd be happy to have it in the season, too."

The Chicago Blackhawks looked strong in defeating the Minnesota Wild 5-2 Friday night and taking a 2-0 lead in their opening-round playoff series.
Yet Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith isn't satisfied. "I don't think we ever go through a whole game where we do everything we want to do," Keith said. "I think we were better (Friday) than last game, but I still think that we can be better overall."

Patrick Sharp scored two goals 10 minutes apart in the third period of Friday's 5-2 Game 2 victory.
Sharp's first goal came roughly six minutes after the Wild cut the Hawks' lead to 2-1 with about two minutes left int he second period. His second tally at 14:08 of the third turned out to be a necessary cushion when Minnesota made it 4-2 two minutes later. The Hawks added an empty net goal and lead the series 2-0.

Michael Frolik scored the Blackhawks' first two goals of the game in a 5-2 win Friday night.
Teammate Patrick Kane almost had the night's first goal five minutes into Game 2but the referees ruled he kicked the puck into the net. Frolik scored just three goals in 45 games this season but continues to be a dangerous playoff performer. The former Florida Panthers has six goals and 10 points in 13 postseason games, all with the Blackhawks.

Corey Crawford stopped 26 of 28 Wild shots en route to a 5-2 win in Friday's Game 2.
Minnesota's second goal didn't come until the game was pretty well in hand with the Blackhawks leading 4-1 and less than four minutes left in the third period. Crawford has now stopped 52 of 55 shots as the Blackhawks have a 2-0 lead in the series as the teams head back to Minnesota.

Coach Joel Quenneville is hopeful that Ray Emery (lower body) will be able to resume skating Thursday.
Emery may not be available for Game 2 Friday versus Minnesota, but he hasn't been completely ruled out yet either.

Dave Bolland (groin) may not be ready to play in Game 2 on Friday.
He sat out the last three games of the regular season and Chicago's overtime win Tuesday night in their playoff opener because of a groin injury. Coach Joel Quenneville said Wednesday that he's "hopeful" that Bolland will resume skating on Thursday.

Andrew Shaw had a team-high seven hits in Game 1 of Chicago's first-round series against Minnesota.
Shaw is a physical player who is capable of providing some secondary scoring. He's the type of depth forward who could be one of the unsung heroes for Chicago if they enjoy a lengthy playoff run.

Marian Hossa netted a power-play goal in Chicago's postseason opener.
Hossa is now technically on a three-game point streak dating back to the regular season. That was his 131th career postseason contest, which puts him in a tie for sixth place among active players. He has 37 goals and 98 career points in the playoffs.

Viktor Stalberg setup Bryan Bickell's game-winning overtime goal on Tuesday.
Stalberg had nine goals and 23 points in 47 games this season. The Blackhawks depth was a big part of their success in the 2013 season and it was certainly a strength in Game 1 of their first-round series.

Bryan Bickell potted the game-winning goal at the 16:35 mark of overtime to give Chicago a 1-0 series lead over Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs.
He was set up beautifully by Viktor Stalberg and Johnny Oduya in the extra session. Marian Hossa had the other marker for the Blackhawks in the contest. His tally was set up on the power play by Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith. Patrick Sharp posted a game-high five shots, but he was unable to get a point.

Corey Crawford allowed one goal on 27 shots in a 2-1 overtime victory against Minnesota in Tuesday's playoff opener.
The heavily Hawks were given all they could handle by the Wild, but they ended up securing a 1-0 lead in the series with the win. Crawford permitted a bit of a softy early in the first period to spot Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the contest, but he was solid the rest of the way.

Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville says Ray Emery (lower body) could be back in time to travel to Minnesota for Game 3.
Emery has already been ruled out of Tuesday night's Game 1 and this essentially sidelines him for Game 2, as well. Unless Corey Crawford struggles again in the playoffs, Emery should remain a backup for most of the postseason.

Corey Crawford is expected to start in net for Tuesday's Game 1.
Backup Ray Emery has already been ruled out with a lower-body injury, making Crawford's starting status a pretty strong assumption. Crawford had an excellent regular season, but we're curious to see how he performs during the playoffs.

Michal Handzus will open the postseason as Chicago's second-line center.
Dave Bolland has played between Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp for the majority of the season, but a groin injury will keep on the sidelines for the beginning of the playoffs. Handzus collected three assists with Sharp and Kane as his linemates in last Wednesday's win over Edmonton.

Henrik Karlsson will dress as Chicago's backup goalie when the playoffs begin Tuesday night.
He will occupy the bench, with Corey Crawford in goal, because Ray Emery isn't ready to return from his lower-body injury in Game 1 against Minnesota.

Dave Bolland (groin) has been ruled out for Game 1 of Chicago's first-round playoff match-up versus Minnesota.
He didn't skate in Monday's practice but coach Joel Quenneville is hopeful that he'll be back on the ice soon. Bolland missed the last three games of the regular season with a groin injury.

Ray Emery (lower body) will not be in uniform in Game 1 against Minnesota Tuesday night.
Coach Joel Quenneville called Emery's status day-to-day and he's hopeful that the Chicago goalie will be able to resume skating soon. He didn't participate in Monday's practice.

Dave Bolland (groin) is questionable for Game 1 Tuesday.
Bolland suffered the groin injury a week ago and missed the final two games of the season. He had seven goals and 14 points this season in 35 games. Adjust your playoff roster accordingly, if you can.