Blackhawks still in search of a win

And so a Blackhawks team with such great expectations is now 0-3 to start the season.

"We know there are expectations, but we're not so much worried about that as winning," captain Jonathan Toews said following Monday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators in the home opener at the United Center. "Yeah, we're ticked off about our start, but we battled our butts off for three periods.

"We just need to keep working around the net. It's a time to stay strong and stay positive and keep going at it. It's going to work for us."

Hawks coach Denis Savard, who before the season placed an emphasis on the first 10 games, doesn't believe 3 losses to start the season is the end of the world.

"I'll talk to you in a month," Savard said. "I'm not going to evaluate a season on three games here. A good start is the first month. Let's see how we do in the first month."

The Hawks played better than in road losses at New York and Washington, getting their first point of the season. But a killer turnover figured in the outcome again, just as in those defeats.

It was a 1-1 game midway through the first period when Patrick Kane tried to pass the puck back to his own blue line. The puck hopped over the stick of a teammate right to Kevin Kline bolting out of the penalty box.

Kline beat goalie Cristobal Huet on a breakaway.

"For us, one turnover, that cost us a goal," Savard said. "I know they'll say it's a bad bounce, but I don't care. If you move the puck wide and you go to the net and get the puck on net there's no goal and we win 2-1. That's how I see it.

"Some of our young guys have to learn right now that can't happen."

Patrick Sharp's first goal of the year on a Havlat rebound 29 seconds into the second period brought the Hawks even at 2-2, which is how it stayed until the shootout.

Kane went first and missed the net with a snap shot instead of using his deke and backhand move on Predators goalie Dan Ellis, a move that was so successful last season.

"I went against him twice last year, so I thought I would change up the move," Kane said.

Havlat also missed his shootout attempt, while the Predators went 2-for-2, getting goals from Rich Peverley and J.P Dumont.

The Predators got out of the first period with their 2-1 lead thanks to Ellis, who made 4 big stops on point-blank Hawks chances, two of them by Toews.

The Hawks came out flying in front of the sellout crowd of 21,712, but Ellis stoned Jack Skille 36 seconds in, then turned away Kris Versteeg busting in near the two-minute mark.

"It's not the offense that's costing us these games," Havlat said. "The whole team, everybody, the basic little things we're not doing right, and it's costing us the games."

Havlat had a goal and an assist in his best game, which was a positive.

"I thought they battled harder than they have all year," Savard said. "I liked our start again. That's the third game in a row, but again we came out with no lead."

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