– Erik Haula sits on a temporary folding chair inside the visitors' locker room at United Center. His temporary nameplate is taped to a white brick wall, as are three plastic makeshift hooks being used to hang his sweaty gear.

Hiding inside that gear is the locker room's light switch and thermostat. Above the name "HAULA" is a sign from the Chicago Fire Department declaring that the maximum number of people allowed in the room is 109.

The Wild ran out of stalls for all its players. Based on seniority, extras Niklas Backstrom, Nate Prosser, Ryan Carter, Sean Bergenheim and Jordan Schroeder got the rest of the real stalls. Haula is the only player without one.

So he has been awkwardly positioned next to the locker room exit. There's a certain harsh symbolism there because it shows just how far he has fallen since last year's quality playoff round against these very same Blackhawks.

Entrenched inside coach Mike Yeo's doghouse, the big question now is whether Haula gets unchained Sunday.

Haula, scratched in three of the final six regular-season games, has yet to play this postseason. But Justin Fontaine is day-to-day because of a groin injury, so there's a chance Haula plays in Game 2.

"It's been tough for sure, but I'm so full of excitement," said Haula, who scored four goals and seven points in 13 playoff games last spring. "It's hard to describe what it feels like being out and feeling kind of helpless. But I've been working hard. If they call upon me, I'm going to give it my all and make sure it's going to be tough to take me out."

He scored seven goals and had 14 points and was minus-7 in 72 games this past season after having 14 points and being plus-14 in 46 games last season. He hasn't consistently used his speed, hasn't been a scoring threat and hasn't competed the way Yeo would like him to along the wall.

"It's definitely taught me a lot this year," said Haula, the Gophers' leading scorer in two seasons. "It hasn't been easy in any way. It's not something I've gone through. I can learn from it mentally and just try to move forward. All this is behind me now and I'm just focused and ready to go.

"I'm hoping to get that chance to prove myself. We'll see what happens."

Yeo wouldn't say which forward will draw in for Fontaine, only saying he has a lot of options between Haula, Schroeder, Carter and Bergenheim. Yeo did seem to indicate he would like to add speed, which would lend itself to Haula or Schroeder.

Youth movement

Teuvo Teravainen, at 20 years, 232 days, became the third-youngest player in Blackhawks history to register a winning goal in a playoff game.

"He's a confident guy with the way he plays the game, with or without the puck," coach Joel Quenneville said.

The goal, a bad one surrendered by Devan Dubnyk, was the first of his career for the 18th pick in the 2012 draft.

"I think that wasn't the biggest shot, but sometimes good things happen when I shoot," Teravainen said.

Decisive faceoff

Antoine Vermette won 11 of 14 faceoffs in Game 1, none bigger than the defensive-zone draw that Brad Richards turned into a Patrick Kane goal in seven seconds.

Vermette shoveled the puck forward toward the Blackhawks blue line for Richards to skate into. Vermette indicated it was because he noticed Wild center Mikko Koivu looked to be trying to win the draw to Jared Spurgeon for a one-timer.

"The way the centerman was taking his draw, I gave a look to Ritchie and fortunately enough it worked out," Vermette said.

Yeo said, "That's something we're a little bit more prepared for now."