Stadium Series: Blackhawks practice notes

Today the Chicago Blackhawks took part in practice on the makeshift ice rink in the middle of TCF Bank Stadium's football field. The temperature at the time of practice was 38 degrees with overcast skies - about what the team will expect on Sunday's game. Outside of a couple small areas of the ice where there appeared to have some water still yet to freeze, it looked like the Blackhawks were able to navigate the ice sheet nicely.

if ice conditions can stay decent, fans should be in for a game that gets to display more skill and speed than other outdoor games. "We've had different types of setting [in outdoor games]. It was snowing the night inside Soldier Field. Washington seemed fine, Wrigley seemed fine weatherwise, and here it looks like it could be ideal conditions. It might be a little warm, but I expect the ice to be as it always is. So we don't expect a problem there," Joel Quenneville described about playing in the Minnesota elements.

Wild interim head coach John Torchetti used to be a member of the Blackhawks staff and the players and the head coach had good things to say about "Torch"

Joel Quenneville: "Happy to see him make it back at our level. Tomorrow, we'll be playing for keep and I wish him well." Quenneville said.

Patrick Kane: "I would only have good things to say about coach. I remember he used to bring me and Toews on the ice to work on things. He's a good offensive-minded coach."

Jonathan Toews: "He was a great contributor for our power play and offensively as well. I think he did a great job of keeping things simple and reassuring guys on the bench. We enjoyed playing for him."

Lines for the Blackhawks at practice are as follows.

The Blackhawks then practiced with the USA Warriors to conclude practice. The USA Warriors are a team comprised of wounded and injured military veterans. "I don't know who had more fun out there, their guys of our guys. Its a privilege having them out there," Quenneville said about playing with the Wounded Warriors.