Young stars collide as Hawks take on Penguins

As far as dynamic duos go around the NHL, the Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane aren't Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin yet.

But they're getting there.

"They're coming onto the scene, and with everything that's gone on around here, it's well-deserved the attention, the notoriety and the exposure," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "I think we're fortunate to be around Chicago with these two young guys and the way the team is."

Assuming Crosby plays through a nagging groin problem, it would put four of the best young players in the game on the ice tonight at the United Center when the Hawks host the Pittsburgh Penguins in one of the most anticipated games of the season.

Malkin leads the league in scoring with 88 points, while Crosby was tied with Washington's Alex Ovechkin for second with 79 before Thursday's games.

While Toews and Kane have become the face of hockey in Chicago, Crosby is the marketing face of the NHL along with Ovechkin.

Toews marvels how Crosby handles the responsibility.

"I don't think I can be compared with a guy like that anytime soon," Toews said. "The things I have to deal with don't compare at all in any way.

"The one thing I am going through that is similar to his situation is being a young captain and being part of a young team that's kind of had its rebirth and has great expectations in the postseason. He's one of those guys I respect a lot and kind of modeled my game after."

The Penguins, led by the 21-year-old Crosby and the 22-year-old Malkin, are having a tough season after advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals last spring and losing to Detroit.

With only 20 games remaining, the Penguins would miss the playoffs in the Eastern Conference if the season ended today while the Hawks have a solid grip on fourth place in the West as they attempt to be this year's Pittsburgh.

"A lot of people have come up to me and said our Blackhawks team is comparable to the Pittsburgh Penguins the way we've progressed," Toews said. "Obviously we have a ways to go. They've made it to the Stanley Cup Finals already."

Can the Hawks do what the Penguins did come playoff time?

"I don't see why not, but I don't want to say it now because so much can change," Toews said. "It's been a good season so far, but you never want to get too ahead of yourself. We have those hopes and those dreams that we can make it there someday and we'll see how it goes."

The Hawks and Penguins didn't play last season, making this the first time Toews and Kane will compete against Crosby and Malkin.

"I haven't seen Crosby play live yet or been in the ice with him, so it should be fun," Kane said. "I played against Malkin in the All-Star Game, but that's a pretty slow tempo game.

"Games like these you kind of want to prove to yourself that maybe you're up there with players like that, and maybe take away something from them that you can learn. You definitely want to prove you're worthy of a No. 1 pick comparable with Crosby."

Toews and Kane actually have something else in common with Crosby - they share the same agent in Pat Brisson. That could mean more time in the future for Toews to learn off the ice from the Penguins' star.

"For any player to have the attention he does after every single game can get frustrating after a while," Toews said. "But he always seems to say the right thing even if he's frustrated of getting down on the way he played. That's something you can take away from how he plays."

Blackhawks vs, Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center. 7:30 p.m.

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Radio: WGN 720-AM

At a glance: The Penguins open a five-game road trip that could make or break their playoff chances in the Eastern Conference. Since Michel Terrien was fired as coach, the Pens are 3-1-1 under new coach Dan Bylsma. Sidney Crosby, the NHL's second-leading scorer behind teammate Evgeni Malkin, is questionable with a sore groin.

Next: Los Angeles Kings at the United Center, 2 p.m. Sunday

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=275357">Crosby or not, bring on Pens <span class="date"> [2/26/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>