CHICAGO – After swerving around Wild defenseman Marco Scandella to set up Patrick Kane for an easy one-timer in the first period of Chicago's 4-3 victory Friday, Blackhawks second-line center Brad Richards, coasted over to his winger to pass along a message.

"Young blood, baby!" Richards shouted at Kane.

In all likelihood Richards was talking about Kane, who had just registered his 99th point in 100 playoff games. Or maybe Richards was referring to what he's apparently felt coursing through his body since the postseason started.

What was supposed to be an advantage at center for the Wild in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs has now become a tossup, thanks in large part to the 35-year-old Richards.

"[Richards'] got a lot of experience and a lot of skill and talent," Chicago winger Brandon Saad said. "Obviously when you put him with world-class players like Kaner or whoever he's playing with, he knows what to do out there."

This is why Chicago brought him in. After years of question marks with their second-line center, the Blackhawks went out and signed Richards to a one-year, $2 million deal.

Richards has four points (three assists, one goal) in seven playoff games this season and is plus-four after scoring 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 25 playoff games last season with the New York Rangers, who fell to the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Final.

"You could question at this stage of his career quickness and where he's at in that area," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said Saturday. "That might have been a concern, but I think he's proven he can play and he can keep up and he's got some quickness to his game. That's probably the one area this year where he's had a real good progression, moving and wanting the puck, and coming through the middle of the ice with speed."

Chicago rested Richards toward the end of the regular season to ensure he could continue to play at that level. What they got when he came back for the playoffs surpassed expectations. Quenneville said these first seven postseason games are the best Richards has moved all year.

With Kane and dangerous-against-the-Wild Bryan Bickell on either side of him, that speed is something the Wild will have to pay attention — which they learned early on Friday night.