Penalties fuel Hawks' poor starts

The Blackhawks have been short-handed three times in the first period in each of the first three games of the Western Conference semifinals against Vancouver.

"Staying out of the penalty box is what we're going to stress and coming with more energy to start," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "Don't attribute it to youth. Our starts, even in the Calgary series, were a point of emphasis.

"Starts are critical to outcomes of games. Don't expect to come back from 3-0, 2-0 every night and win hockey games."

The Hawks weathered Vancouver's first two power plays in Tuesday's Game 3 loss, but Patrick Kane's needless hooking penalty with 40 seconds left in the first period hurt and led to a Canucks' power-play goal early in the second.

"We got into trouble with penalties and things like that again, which we got to stop doing, partly myself," Kane said. "It's tough to play catch-up every game. We came back twice in this series, but you can't come back every game."

The Hawks didn't play with the same emotion in Game 3 despite the backing of the huge United Center crowd.

"Most of the playoffs we haven't had very good starts," Adam Burish said. "There needs to be a sense of urgency, a sense of passion from the start."

"We have no excuse for not giving (the fans) a good show," Kane said.

Toews watch: Is Jonathan Toews hurting? It sure seems that way.

Reports of Toews being bothered by a bad shoulder are gaining credibility with the Hawks' captain not looking like himself on the ice.

Toews played more than 16 minutes in Tuesday's loss, which still is below his average of almost 19 minutes a game during the regular season.

"He's progressed in the series," Joel Quenneville said. "I think early on he was sick and wasn't up to par. I think he's getting better."

There are a number of Hawks playing banged up, including Martin Havlat.

Seven Hawks were not involved in practice Wednesday, but Havlat, Duncan Keith, Matt Walker, Cam Barker, Sammy Pahlsson and Dustin Byfuglien are expected to play tonight.

Good, not great: The Hawks are 3-for-16 on the power play in the series, but they failed on two chances in the first 14 minutes Tuesday when a goal would have given them huge momentum.

"Our power play has been all right," Joel Quenneville said. "It's been not bad. We'd like a little more zone time. We find when we shoot from the point we are more useful in that area and can score on it."

The final word: "It's a huge game for us," Joel Quenneville said. "We've got to take advantage of being at home. We've got to take advantage of getting ourselves in the game right from the get-go and use the enthusiasm of the building. It's a very important game and we've got to approach it like it is."