CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks defenseman David Rundblad replaced Kimmo Timonen in the lineup against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday.
Timonen played in the Blackhawks’ first 15 playoff games this season and averaged a team-low 9:26 of ice time. He was on the ice for two of the Ducks’ goals in the Blackhawks’ 5-4 overtime loss in Game 5. He was acquired by the Blackhawks from the Philadelphia Flyers at this year’s trade deadline. The 40-year-old Timonen has previously said he will retire after this season.
Rundblad’s only playoff appearance came in Game 1 against the Ducks. He was on the ice for two Ducks’ goals and played 10:47. He had three goals, 11 assists and was a plus-17 in 49 regular-season games this season.
Quenneville said after the team’s morning skate Wednesday that Rundblad needed to forget about his Game 1 performance if he did play on Wednesday night.
“You have to move on,” Quenneville said. “You're playing the next game. You're playing the next shift. You got to be confident. You got to be comfortable and play.”
Rundblad said the key to playing better than in Game 1 was being faster to react.
“Be quicker, I think, is the biggest thing,” Rundblad said on Wednesday. “Be quicker, move the puck quicker, I think that will help me out a lot if I just do that.”
Rundblad was paired with Johnny Oduya during warm-ups prior to Game 6. Duncan Keith-Niklas Hjalmarsson and Kyle Cumiskey-Brent Seabrook were the Blackhawks’ other defenseman pairings.
