Blackhawks enjoy season-high output

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Was this it?

Was Wednesday night's 7-2 thumping of Columbus the "aha" moment the Blackhawks have been looking for all season?

Was it the kind of defining game that might make coach Denis Savard's constant talk of making the playoffs actually seem feasible despite being 9 points out of the last playoff spot with 26 games to go?

After stunning a smallish crowd at Nationwide Arena with 4 goals in the opening 20 minutes en route to a season-high output, that seemed to be the feeling in the Hawks' locker room.

"I think it's huge," said defenseman Brent Seabrook, who finished with a goal and an assist. "Columbus is a great team and they don't give up much defensively. To have an outbreak like that gives us confidence to know we can score against any team in the league."

It certainly was not a problem for Dustin Byfuglien, who scored twice in the first period, the first on a partial breakaway and the second off a rebound with a pair of Blue Jackets hanging on him.

"We haven't scored like that in a long time," Byfuglien said. "It's nice to see people get it going."

"The players battled; they won lots of 1-on-1 battles, competed in areas where it's tough," Savard said. "It's going to be fun to show them the film (today) on how it's done and what it takes to win."

You had to feel for Columbus backup goalie Fredrik Norrena.

Forced into action after starter Pascal Leclaire became ill during the morning skate, Norrena could have had no idea what was ahead.

Three of the first 4 shots he faced went in the net, starting with Patrick Kane's 13th of the season on the power play -- just the Hawks' fourth power-play goal in their last 59 attempts.

After Seabrook scored on a breakaway to make it 2-0, Byfuglien followed with his first of the period, bringing out the boo-birds and sending Norrena to the bench, replaced temporarily by the ailing Leclaire.

"We had a great start and that was the difference," said forward Martin Havlat, who scored his seventh of the season in the second period off a sweet assist from Robert Lang (goal, 2 assists).

"I'm surprised we played the way we did," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "I'm surprised by the lack of emotion and intensity … disappointed, too."

Not Savard, who saw his Hawks improve to .500 for the season (25-25-6) and to 2-2-2 on an extended 17-day road trip that ends tonight in Nashville.

"Everyone's anxious to get home, but we have three more periods to play," Savard said. "We've got to get the job done."