Corey Crawford to start Game 1; Wild-Blackhawks projected lineups

The Wild and Blackhawks open the Western Conference semifinals on XXX, play Game 2 on XXX, play Game 3 on XXX, play Game 4 on … .

Look, the schedule is on a need to know basis. Obviously NONE OF US need to know!!!!

In all seriousness, I will insert the schedule here when the NHL releases it.

The Wild and Blackhawks will start the second round ... at an unknown time on an unknown date. When that time and date are set, you will officially know when Bryan Bickell scores his first goal of the series.

I'll be on KFAN at 4:30 p.m.

Two bits of news out of Chicago:

1. Corey Crawford was named the Game 1 starter. The Predators busted a hole through Crow early in the series, but he came on in relief of Scott Darling in the Blackhawks' come-from-behind Game 6 win over Nashville and gets the nod probably in large part to, well, he's won a Cup, has been their longtime No. 1 and the fact he's 8-3 against the Wild in the playoffs with a 1.66 goals-against average and .937 save percentage.

On changing goalies and some saying goaltending is allegedly Chicago's sudden weakness, Coach Q said, "I don't think that was in the forecast and I don't think that's the plan. I think you have confidence with the goalie that's going in the net. You don't think like that going into a game … or a series. That's something we've never had to deal with before. But I'm fine with our goaltending situation and very confident Corey is going to get the job done."

2. Kris Versteeg looks like he will be a scratch in Game 1 and the very talented Teuvo Teravainen will come in.

Cue Q: "I think that offensively, defensively, I think he's got real good awareness to where he needs to be positionally. I think in the puck area, he's got some real nice movement with it, good patience and play recognition. Against Minnesota, they check very well, we've got to make sure we're very good in the puck area and strong in the puck area. So I think he gives us some options both sides of the puck. I like his awareness. I'm sure he should be excited.

On Versteeg, Q said, "I didn't mind him in the [Predators] series. I just think that having the puck, keeping the puck, movement, speed, positionally, playing a strong team game. He was fine."

Chicago Blackhawks projected lineup

Bryan Bickell-Brad Richards-Patrick Kane

Patrick Sharp-Antoine Vermette-Teuvo Teravainen

Andrew Desjardins-Marcus Kruger-Andrew Shaw

Defense pairings

Duncan Keith-Michal Rozsival

Kimmo Timonen-Brent Seabrook

Goalies

Corey Crawford

Scott Darling

Extra forwards: Kris Versteeg, Joakim Nordstrom, Daniel Carcillo

Injuries: None.

Wild projected lineup

Forward lines

Nino Niederreiter-Mikko Koivu-Chris Stewart

Zach Parise-Mikael Granlund-Jason Pominville

Matt Cooke-Kyle Brodziak-Justin Fontaine

Defense pairings

Ryan Suter-Jonas Brodin

Marco Scandella-Jared Spurgeon

Jordan Leopold-Matt Dumba

Devan Dubnyk

Darcy Kuemper

Extra forwards: Sean Bergenheim, Ryan Carter, Erik Haula, Jordan Schroeder.

Extra defensemen: Christian Folin, Nate Prosser.

Extra goalie: Niklas Backstrom.

The Wild had the day off. The Hawks practiced in Chicago. Here's some more quotes on the series from a quote exchange I'm in with the Chicago scribes.

Quenneville on the Wild: They're a good hockey team and they had an amazing run to get into the playoffs. They've got a lot of confidence. They play an excellent team game. They've got some speed, quickness. They made that trade for a goalie. They've gained a lot of momentum at this time of the year off what they've achieved. I think we're very familiar with their team, what they're capable of doing and knowing that we've got a great challenge in front of us."

Q on the Wild's upswing: "Based on the way they started and the way they ended I think there's definitely some more excitement to their game and some more depth to their team game. So it's going to be a real good challenge for us, knowing we've got to be better. But let's be excited about the chance."

Q on solving Devan Dubnyk: "I think the whole league had that challenge at the end of the year. I think as a team they check extremely well. Quality scoring chances are hard to come by. I'm sure St. Louis felt that as it progressed. They check from … not a lot of time. Not a lot of space. You've got to get ugly goals. You've got to get to the net. Second opportunities. If he sees the puck he's going to make it tough on you. That's the one thing we've got to do. We know when you play him, you don't expect to score a lot of goals. But you want to make sure you don't give up much.

Jonathan Toews

Toews on Wild's improvement since two years ago: "I guess we'll find out, but I think you have to have a lot of respect for them, for their complete game. They've got guys who can score, who can create offense in big games, but I think for the most part they rely on their defense and their skating ability to really shut teams down and not give up much. As we can see their goaltending has been real strong, too. We know from playing against them in the regular season, even when they went through their rough patch for a little while — they were losing quite a few games — that they weren't giving much up against us and we really had to work for our offense and it's going to be that to a whole new level in this series so it's something we have to be prepared for, some way try to give that same effort on the defensive end and we know we be better in front of our goaltenders It's that commitment to that defensive type game that's going to give us come success in this series as well."

Toews on Dubnyk: "I think he's a big goaltender just like the one we just faced. He's got a team that plays well around him. They block a lot of shots, get in lanes and they don't give up a whole lot of scoring chances from the middle of the ice, so I think when you know you're up against a goaltender whose playing awesome like that who covers a lot of net, you've got to do what you can to get in front of him. So it's something we'll focus on and it's nothing new going up against a goaltender who's been playing well."

DEVAN DUBNYK

Confidence after this win?

They were first place in the toughest division in the league. They are as tough a team as any to play against. We should enjoy that and realize that we deserve to win the series and take some confidence moving forward, but also understand that there's a pretty great hockey team waiting for us there. I'm sure there are some guys that would like to give a little payback for last year's playoffs.

Same thing with St. Louis – any time you can get that winning feeling at home and in the other teams building in the regular season, it doesn't mean that you're going to be given anything in the postseason, but it's nice to know that winning feeling in another building. It's fresh in our minds and we'll try to use that but try to understand that it's going to be a much different hockey game in Game 1.

JASON POMINVILLE

Remarkable where you were in January- "Yeah, it's pretty crazy. I think we definitely made some strides. We've been playing some better hockey. We've been better as we've been moving along, which is a good sign going into the playoffs. But this is one step and we've got to keep looking at what's ahead of us and we've got a chance to play a team that we've seen quite a bit in recent years. Hopefully this time's the right one."

Way you played them in playoffs give you confidence-

"They're a tough team to play against. Just look at last night, they're down by three with less than 10 minutes into the game and they find a way to bounce back into it. They've got a lot of firepower. They can defend. They do a lot of good things. It's not going to be easy, but obviously taking notes on what we did last year. It's a different year, but we know we can play with those guys. Hopefully, like I said, this is the year."

"I watched on and off, but I saw the comeback. I didn't see the first three goals and then I kind of saw them getting back into the game and I stopped watching after that."

They play a different style from Blues-

"It will be a different type of game. Their speed, their counterattack, their skill is definitely in the top of the league, so it's going to be a little bit different. Not to take anything away from these guys, they're big, they're physical, but they definitely have some guys that can make you pay too if you make a mistake. It's going to be a battle."

Confidence is high, seems you're ready to do something –

"Yeah, hopefully. We've had to be ready for a little while now just to get in. We got in feeling good about our game and kind of snowballed effect through the first round. We knew it wasn't going to be easy. Now that we're past first one, we got to look at what's ahead of us. But knowing that we've played these guys the last couple of years, it's not going to be easy. They're a good team. They're an elite team. They've proven it. We got to be up for the task."

Message now:

"Don't get me wrong. It's great for us to win and beat a really good St. Louis team, and we should enjoy it, and enjoy it for a couple days and now look forward to our series against Chicago. That's a team that's knocked us out for the last couple years, so we've got to be ready for them."

Chicago again:

"That's a big part. These guys are, every year, they're Cup contenders. For us to want to get in that conversation with them, we've got to beat them. Again, it'll be a good series. It'll be a tough series."

Postseason progression of this team:

When look ahead to Chicago?:

"You have to enjoy a series win for a day or so and then watch some other hockey and see when we'll be starting. We deserve to enjoy it a little bit, and then after that, you shift your focus right away and start analyzing and breaking down the other team we play against. We'll start that right away."

MATT COOKE

On revenge: Revenge is probably the wrong word but any time that you play playoff series in consecutive years against the same team it creates a rivalry. I felt like we had a great series with them last year and thought we deserved a better fate with the style of series that we played, but we get another shot at them. The teams are different this year and we're going to have to go out and be at our best if we're going to have any chance to win.

OK, that is it for now. I have a meeting at work, believe it or not. Anybody know where our new offices are?