When the Blackhawks were going through a late-season slump in March, the drumbeat began that they might be tired _ that years of playing deep into the postseason finally was catching up with them.
The Hawks generally dismissed that notion, saying they felt fine. However, coach Joel Quenneville said Saturday during a Blackhawks Convention panel at the Hilton Chicago that the Hawks lacked the "zip" they had in previous postseasons and that was why they fell to the Blues in the first round.
"It might have caught up to us playing as many playoff games, as many important games over the last couple, three years," Quenneville said. "That extra juice we need ... I think we were a little short in that area."
Quenneville said while there was initial disappointment at the Hawks' exit, the team realized it could benefit from the extra rest.
"Three years in a row playing until the very end might've taken a bit of a toll on us," he said. "I'm not making excuses but the guys probably felt the same."
