Outsiders might wonder if the Chicago Blackhawks have been taking the eighth-seed Minnesota seriously in their first-round series, but Duncan Keith told CSNChicago.com’s Tracey Myers that they’re not taking the Wild lightly.
“We’ve always had the mindset it would be a tough series,” Keith said. “We never thought it would be easy.”
Head coach Joel Quenneville noted a serious difference in urgency between the two teams.
“They definitely outplayed us,” Quenneville said. “They played like they had to win and we didn’t.”
Keith, 29, made similar comments about desire to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Lazerus.
“They were obviously the hungrier team and we know we need to be better,” Keith said. “They deserved to win.”
Perhaps the threat of a long quarterfinals series might snap the ‘Hawks out of their slight lull, then.
