The Blackhawks are brimming with confidence facing elimination in game 6 at home versus Anaheim. The reason? They’ve decided to try in the first period.
“I think it’ll make a huge difference if we put forth some effort after puck drop,” Duncan Keith said.”Having the Ducks skate rings around us and score goals immediately is a bit counterproductive.”
Hawks fans had barely taken a seat in their recliners before the Ducks led 2-0 in pivotal game 5.
“Coming out ready to play will be a big part of our game plan,” Jonathon Toews told reporters.”We play that first period and maybe we don’t play a fifth and sixth.”
Goalie Corey Crawford agrees.
“I’m so used to giving up goals late in a period, giving them up earlyhas been a refreshing change .But in game 6 I’m gonna try to hold them off at least until I work up a sweat. I’m gonna try really, really hard.”
Coach Joel Quenneville could not be reached for comment as he was putting the finishing touches on his oil painting of Kris Versteeg and studying the contract of new Toronto coach Mike Babcock.
“Joel will have them ready to play this time,” one assistant coach said. “He knows there’s no tomorrow and Monday there was …. wasn’t there?”
