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Stanley Cup (award)

Blackhawks hold off pesky Wild, take Game 1

Kevin Allen
USA TODAY Sports
Chicago Blackhawks left wing Teuvo Teravainen (86) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal Minnesota Wild during the second period in game one of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at United Center.

CHICAGO – The Minnesota Wild owned the best winning percentage in the last half of the NHL regular season. They boast a goalie, Devan Dubnyk, who apparently doesn't know that he shouldn't be performing as impressively as he has this season. The Wild seem to be improving daily on offense and defense.

They are a chic pick to win the Stanley Cup this spring.

But what the Wild haven't yet proved is that they can handle the Chicago Blackhawks in a playoff series. The Blackhawks, who eliminated the Wild in both the 2013 and 2014 postseason, have started down that path in 2015, thanks to a 4-3 triumph in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal Friday.

The spunky Wild erased a three-goal deficit to tie the game 3-3 on a goal by Mikael Granlund at 9:30 of the second period, but Chicago forward Teuvo Teravainen scored with 59 seconds remaining in the second period to allow the Blackhawks to regain the lead.

"It was a big goal in a big setting," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said.

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The Blackhawks have won 62 playoff games since 2009, and that experience showed Friday night when they were able to maintain their poise after squandering a three-goal lead.

"We regrouped and came back hard," said Minnesota forward Thomas Vanek. "…But we battled hard, but that's a great team over there."

Survival skills are an important aspect of the Blackhawks' ability to win.

This season, counting the regular season and playoffs, the Blackhawks are 27-0 when carrying a lead into the third period.
We think, or we believe, the Wild are ready to win a championship. We know the Blackhawks are ready because they have won two championships since 2010, and they might have won another last season if they hadn't lost a Game 7 to the Los Angeles Kings.

Right now, the Wild are a team with potential. The Blackhawks are a team with championship pedigree.

"It's hard to say what happened in the second period, but we got the job done," said Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said.

The Wild were impressive last round in toppling the St. Louis Blues, a big-bodied team that can breathe fire. It was plausible that they might come into United Center and plant their flag in Game 1.

But Brandon Saad scored at 1:15, and Patrick Kane and Marcus Kruger added goals to give Chicago a 3-0 lead before the end of the first period. Message sent.

Minnesota answered with goals by Jason Zucker, Zach Parise and Granlund in the second period. Answer given.

Then Teravainen scored in the waning moments of the period. Message sent again.

"We know the style of hockey they play and we have to play to our strengths," said Wild captain Mikko Koivu. "They have a lot of skill in their lineup, and we need to play defensive and create as well."

The Blackhawks weren't celebrating their victory because they all know they have work to do. They were sloppy defensively in knocking off Nashville in the first round. They were sloppy defensively in Game 1 against the Wild.

"I think it was the offense that so far have gotten most of the wins in the playoff series, and in the regular season it was the other way," Hjalmarsson said. "We have to find a way to get back to playing better defensively and then we will be dangerous."

The Blackhawks seem to understand that they are playing an opponent with a potential to perform at the same level they've been at for a number of years. The Blackhawks know they have the ability to delay the Wild's advancement in another season if they play to the best of their ability. The Wild are 0-7 in playoff games at the United Center. Game 2 is Sunday in Chicago.

"If you want to ask, we are not rattled right now," Minnesota coach Mike Yeo said.

This could be an eventful, entertaining series.

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