Losing doesn't come easy for Chicago Blackhawks' Kane

Growing up in Buffalo, there was nothing Patrick Kane loved more than grabbing the two nets out of his parents' garage and setting up a game of street hockey.

Some days the games would go on and on and on. On others, the ultracompetitive, disgusted Kane might make multiple trips back and forth to that garage.

"My mom would say if I lost a game or I was (honked) off at the way the guys were playing, she'd watch me through the window, carrying both nets," Kane said, smiling. "Then five or 10 minutes later, I was trying to get everyone to play again."

Kane and his buddies would often engage in fierce roller hockey games as well.

And if his team lost? Well, look out.

"You'd storm out of there and not talk to anyone," Kane said. "We always had plans to go to dinner after, and sometimes you'd just skip the dinner. If you won, you're the happiest guy in the world, happiest guy at dinner.

"It's funny how those things can change your mood."

This competitive fire burns at different levels in all professional athletes. Michael Jordan's was legendary, for example.

"Everyone heard of our famous card games," former Bulls guard B.J. Armstrong told ESPN.com's Melissa Isaacson for a story in 2009. "Why did they last forever? Because Michael never loses. Whatever he's doing, he's going to win because he's going to keep on playing."

Jordan, of course, led the Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s and is considered by many to be the best basketball player of all time. His time in Chicago ended at age 35 in 1998, but every single team he played on up to that point reached the playoffs.

Kane, meanwhile, helped turn around a moribund Hawks franchise and spearheaded them to three Stanley Cup titles this decade.

It was a fantastic ride, but these last 10 or 11 months have been particularly frustrating for the star winger.

"I think it's probably been the toughest stretch for all of us," Kane said. "I don't know - you try to stay positive. It's tough to do sometimes. Sometimes you catch yourself not happy and angry away from the rink."

Kane missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for just the second time in his career last season. It was a trying campaign, especially because players had no idea if or when goalie Corey Crawford would be able to return from injury.

When September rolled around, a sense of optimism surrounded the entire team, and the Hawks came charging out of the gates by going 6-2-2.

What has transpired since, though, is testing everybody's patience.

Again.

"Everyone probably feels the same way in here," Kane said. "We're all competitive, we want to win and when things aren't going well, it's tough."

The Hawks are 3-9-3 since that impressive start.

Kane, with 11 goals in the first 11 games, has just 2 in the last 13. He also lost track of Tampa Bay's Tyler Johnson in front of the Hawks' net last week, leading to the Lightning's first goal in a 4-2 loss. That's just one example of many defensive lapses that have led the Hawks to being outscored 11-1 in the first period of the last four games.

"It's one domino effect after another," Kane said. "There's no doubt we need to have better starts."

The Hawks better figure it out in a hurry because their next three games are against Winnipeg (13-8-2), Nashville (17-7-1) and Calgary (14-9-1).

Two or three more losses, and Kane figures to really be seething.

"You come into the rink a day after a win, it's totally different than coming into the rink a day after a loss," he said. "You can just feel it with everyone. … We've just got to do something about it now."

Scouting report

Blackhawks vs. Winnipeg Jets, 7 p.m. Thursday at Bell MTS Place

TV: NBCSCH • Radio: WGN 720-AM

The skinny: Winnipeg, a team many picked to win the Central Division, is in fourth place with a 13-8-2 record. The Jets lost 4-3 to Pittsburgh on Tuesday when they allowed the go-ahead goal with 5:12 to play. … Patrik Laine is tied for the league lead with 19 goals. He lit up the Blues for 5 goals Saturday and has 11 in the last five games. … Blake Wheeler has 25 assists, 14 of which have come on the power play. … The Hawks have the worst power play in the league (12.3 percent) and the third-worst penalty kill (74.6 percent).

Next: Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena, 7 p.m. Saturday

- John Dietz