Third-period breakaway ends Kane's goal drought

PHILADELPHIA - Nobody wanted to see Patrick Kane's goal-scoring drought come to an end Wednesday night in Game 3 more than Kane himself.

The Blackhawks' star hadn't scored a goal in six games, going back to Game 6 in the Vancouver series in the second round.

Kane hoped getting back on the road against the Flyers at Wachovia Center was the answer to breaking out of his slump, and it was as he scored in the third period to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead.

But theHawks couldn't hold on and lost to the Flyers 4-3 in overtime.

Kane took a pass from Jonathan Toews and beat goalie Michael Leighton on a breakaway.

"I hope it helps that we're on the road and things kind of settle down a bit and you not try to force too much," Kane said before the game. "That's probably what I was trying to do the first two games (of the Finals), maybe trying to do a little bit too much instead of letting the game come to me.

"You know, forcing shots and maybe skating with the puck a little too much. I think sometimes as a line we're better when we think defensively instead of offensively."

Kane had 7 goals in the Hawks' first 12 playoff games.

"As a player you always want to contribute, especially as an offensive guy," Kane said. "That's what I was brought in here to do, to score goals and help make plays. That's my job and I'm going to keep trying to do that. Hopefully I can do some things to free up some space and get some chances."

Even though Kane hadn't scored in six games, the Hawks won them all to reach the Finals.

"The team is winning and I feel like I've been a big part of the team all year," Kane said. "Obviously you want to contribute at this level of hockey, but if we keep winning and end up winning the series and I don't score, I'd rather have that than scoring and we end up losing."

The Hawks' first line of Kane, Toews and Dustin Byfuglien went into Game 3 without a goal in the series, which really wasn't a concern to anyone inside the dressing room.

Toews felt his line was far better in Game 2 than in the opener when it was a combined minus-9.

"The biggest thing for us is we were much, much better defensively and we worked harder on our own side of the puck," Toews said. "That's where we wanted to start, from the ground up. We know the offense is going to come.

"In the last couple of games it worked out for our team where we didn't need to score for us to win."

Kane has had a difficult time finding skating room in the series because of Philadelphia's physical defense targeting him. He had a goal and assist and 4 shots in the loss.