Toews' goal is to score some goals

It's still too early in the season to call Jonathan Toews snake bit, but the Blackhawks' captain sure would like to put a puck in the net before too much longer.

Toews has 3 assists but no goals in the Hawks' first six games despite a team-leading 21 shots.

"The big thing is I'm playing well, and I have to just keep telling myself that," Toews said. "It's easy to forget when you're not having success and seeing results."

Toews is always one of the first Hawks on the ice for practice and has been taking a ton of shots on his own beforehand.

"I've been working on my shot in practice and I've been getting more shots in games, so when you're getting chances they're going to start going in," Toews said. "I've gone six games without a goal and I've been so close, but at the same time I tell myself to look at the bright side: Kaner is playing well and Sharp is playing well. The main thing is our team's doing well and the goals will come when it counts."

Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp each have 4 goals to lead the Hawks.

Kane said before the season that he wanted to be more of a goal-scoring threat, feeling he should have scored more than 21 as a rookie.

"He's just as dangerous when he's moving the puck," Toews said. "He's doing the right things all over the rink and playing his game, and when you do that you get chances and the pucks go in. I wouldn't say he's doing anything differently."

More Kane: Making Patrick Kane a more responsible player in his own end will be one of Joel Quenneville's projects.

As for Kane's offense, he has been the Hawks' best player in the first two games under Quenneville.

"I thought he was real good these two games here," Quenneville said. "He's got that vision, he's got that patience and recognition of the options quickly. And I think he's going to be more responsible as he grows.

"We'll watch how he continues to progress, but the upside off a pretty impressive level last year is still in place and we'll look to continue to go forward in that area. He's got a great future. He's a special player."

Pushing the pace: Joel Quenneville wants the Hawks to set the tempo in games, which he feels they have done for the most part against St. Louis and Vancouver.

"It's a long season and that's the way we want to play," Quenneville said. "We want to push the pace and make sure we go hard on people and make sure we go shorter on shifts. To me, that's the way the game is. You've got to play all out and find a way to win."

Late night reminder: Wednesday's game against Edmonton begins a half-hour later than normal at 8 p.m.