April 23--NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Bryan Bickell broke out the cliches to describe the importance of Game 5 between the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators on Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena.
"(The Predators) are going to come flying, they're do or die, their backs are against the wall, they will do whatever it takes," Bickell said after the morning skate. "We're looking to rise to the challenge."
The Hawks winger then turned a bit more direct.
"This is the biggest game of the year to get us the next step closer to that Cup," Bickell said. "Hopefully, we can pull it off."
With the Hawks holding a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series, the Predators will play with a sense of desperation.
"We're going to put everything into it," Preds winger Viktor Stalberg said. "We've done a great job every single game, we really put 100 percent in, every single guy. A couple bounces here or there and it could be different. But we're at where we're at. We'll take care of everything we can to force a Game 6."
While the Hawks have a cushion with Game 6 scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at the United Center if needed, they will look to close it out and sit back and watch the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild battle it out in the other divisional showdown.
"You don't want to play an extra shift, you don't want to play an extra game in the playoffs if you can avoid it," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "We know that we have a real dangerous opponent (Thursday night) knowing that this building is going to be loud and they're going to be hungry and they're going to come at us. It's been a very even series and very competitive.
"We expect (Thursday's) challenge to be our toughest so let's be excited and try to quiet the crowd initially as best we can," Quenneville added. "But expect a real hungry opponent. Let's go one period at a time and let's leave it out there."
Quenneville said it's "likely" the Hawks will stick with the same lineup. Predators center Mike Fisher, who hasn't played in the series due to a lower-body injury, was on the ice during Nashville's morning skate but afterward would not speculate on whether he would play.
Scott Darling will start in goal for the Hawks and will be opposed by Pekka Rinne for the Preds.
