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Wild coach Mike Yeo on facing Blackhawks in Game 2: 'We have their attention'

David Banks / Reuters

Mike Yeo thinks that things won't be like last year when the Minnesota Wild square off against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series

The head coach of the Wild - who was behind the bench when his team lost in six games to the Blackhawks last postseason - believes that despite a Game 1 loss, Minnesota has Chicago's attention.

"I know one thing against this team, I think we have their attention probably a little more than we have in the past," Yeo told Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. "But with that comes maybe a greater sense of preparation on their part going into every game and I think we’ll see that again (Sunday)."

The Wild fell behind by three goals after one period of play in the series opener, but clawed back into the contest, tying it in the second.

They eventually fell to their opponents 4-3, but they put a scare into the Blackhawks, and Wild forward Chris Stewart thinks Minnesota can take it from Chicago in Game 2.

"We know we’re going to get our chances against them," said Stewart. "The more we get in their zone and grind them down and make them work 200 feet for their chances and frustrate them will play more into our game plan."

"(The Blackhawks) won the game, but they’re probably not feeling too well about the pushback we had," added Stewart. "We came here to get one and hopefully we get one."

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