Effort pleases Savard

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- All Blackhawks coach Denis Savard asks for from his players is an honest effort.

That's not what he got in Wednesday's loss at Columbus when the Hawks were a step slow to every puck, losing battle after battle.

Things were much better on Thursday, even though the Hawks blew a 3-1 third period lead and lost 5-4 in overtime to the Nashville Predators.

Savard addressed the issues of intensity and effort at Thursday morning's team meeting.

"Our effort was there," Savard said. "The result sometimes is not going to be ours, but our intensity was there and they played hard. That's all you can ask.

"The positive out of this is we played a good team here on the road and had a solid effort."

It looked for a time in the second period as if the Hawks were going to get the victory, scoring three times for a 3-1 lead.

"Everyone had to look at themselves in the mirror," said center Patrick Sharp. "Last night at Columbus was nowhere near good enough. We were beat in all areas of the ice and we felt we were a much better team than that."

According to Nik: Even when times were bad the last two seasons, goalie Nikolai Khabibulin always could be counted to give an honest assessment of the problems surrounding the Hawks.

So when Khabibulin mentions how there's a different feel inside the dressing room this season, it speaks volumes.

"Definitely there's a different feel," Khabibulin said. "I could just sense the guys have a lot more confidence -- even in between the periods, especially when we're down a goal or two. In past years you'd get in here after a period and everybody's quiet, now it seems guys believe they can come back. We believe that we can score goals and that's very important."

Welcome layover: Breaking up the six-game circus road trip was by design by general manager Dale Tallon and Denis Savard.

Following the first three games of the trip, the Hawks will return home from Detroit on Saturday night, take Sunday off, then practice for three days in Bensenville before heading to Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

"It's better than going away for 14 days," Savard said. "This way you come home, sleep in your own bed, practice and spend time with your family."

The Hawks do go away for an extended road trip starting in late January.

Tip-ins: Flu-ridden defenseman Brent Sopel was sent home from Columbus so he wouldn't contaminate his teammates. Sopel, who has missed the last two games, is likely doubtful for Saturday's game at Detroit. ... The Hawks were 2-for-3 on the power play; the Predators 0-for-4. ... The Hawks lost 30 of 50 faceoffs, with Jonathan Toews going 1-10.