“This is the finals. You just have to go out there and let it rip.”-Adam Burish, Wednesday afternoon.

No playoff series can start without some time spent with the Blackhawks resident talk-a-holic, Adam Burish.

If Burish doesn’t need motivation for games in Edmonton in mid-December, just think where his adrenaline level will be come Saturday. Add the fact that San Jose was just “too nice,” he’s chomping at the bit to take on a team with a few more edgier players.

“They have a lot more guys like that,” Burish said Wednesday after practice. “Look at their captain. The guy fights seven, eight, nine times a year. They got a lot of guys. They have [Daniel] Carcillo, they got [Arron] Asham; [Scott] Hartnell plays hard. They have a lot of guys that teeter on that edge.”

Actually, Richards fought “only” four times this season but Burish’s point is made. This should be more nasty than people might expect.

“People that are watching are going to be in for another treat of a series,” he said. “Someone told me the other day its two kind of cocky teams playing each other. It will make for a good finals.”

Burish warns it might not happen right away. These teams don’t face each other all that much and though there are nasty players on both sides, there’s no personal rivalries like there were against Vancouver. It could be a feeling-out process.

[+] EnlargeJason O. Watson/US PresswireAdam Burish is gearing up to take on the Flyers.

“There may be a little bit,” Burish said. “You don’t see the nastiness or the edge right away. As the series goes on you try to figure out what each other are up to a little bit.”

And what about a fight in the Stanley Cup finals? They don’t happen often.

“That would be awesome,” Burish declared. “That would be fun. If the situation comes up. But you have to be careful. You don’t know if a guy is going to bait you into it and skate away and then you go to the penalty box.”

But …

“That would be a good time. I’d love it.”

Richards has been a focal point of conversation within the dressing room. He is compared often with Jonathan Toews, and the two played together during the Olympics. Toews says that Richards has a “more physical side to him” and plays with that edge that Burish talked about.

“He’s a competitive guy,” Toews said. “A heart and soul guy. He doesn’t take the easy way.”

Sounds like someone we know.

Dave Bolland likely will get the assignment of shutting down Richards, but Toews is more than happy to help out.

“Along the way … you want to stare down at some of the best players you’re playing against,” Toews said. “It’s a test to yourself and your team in the key moments in the game. It’s what you dream about as a kid. It’s all about finding what you have inside when you’re out there against players like Mike Richards.”

Toews and his coach, Joel Quenneville, are gauging the attitude of the team as the media crush continues. Thursday will be media day at the United Center as both the Hawks and Flyers will be in the same room for the first time.

So far, Quenneville likes what he sees in terms of the Hawks handling the moment.

“The attention might be a little bit greater,” Quenneville said. “Their excitement or enthusiasm hasn’t really come out as far as like being out of control or not in the right place. I think they are handling it the way you want them to handle it.”

Quenneville hinted on Tuesday that he would try to mimic the week of preparation the Hawks had before the conference finals. That included a day off the ice. On Wednesday he confirmed the Hawks would not skate on Thursday before practicing again Friday and Saturday morning. A trip to a hotel on Saturday is in the cards again as well.

Notes

Andrew Ladd did not practice for the second consecutive day. Quenneville reiterated he’s day to day but is likely to play in the series. Tomas Kopecky skated again with Dave Bolland and Kris Versteeg during practice.

Several Hawks have been asked about some of the dark days of the franchise. Jonathan Toews hasn’t been in Chicago that long but recalls his rookie year: “Even my first year [ in 2007] a lot of people were telling me what it could be like. A lot of people said this is a hockey town. You might not see it yet but the fans are incredible. As soon as you start winning as a team it’s going to be the most fun you’re had in your life or your career. It’s tough to imagine it would be this good, this fast. The support we’ve had from our fans has been incredible.”