Blackhawks players strike proper tone toward Wings

Blackhawks players were given Friday off to lick their wounds after two defeats to the Red Wings in three days. The Hawks had a 9-game winning streak going before Tuesday and perhaps it started to go to their heads a bit. Wings lagged against Chicago last year but what a difference a year (and a Stanley Cup residing in Hockeytown) makes. The Blackhawks are young and very talented but have a ways to go in terms of gaining the experience they need to contend with teams on the level of the Detroit organization. Players interviewed by the Sun-Times as a follow-up to the Winter Classic struck the right balance of positive determination and respect for a worthy opponent. It is this kind of class and self-awareness that show a team on the right track of maturing and gelling into a first-rate organization who can threaten come playoff time.