Kane trying to end slump
Blackhawks rookie Patrick Kane has been looking forward to Saturday for a long time, when he returns to Buffalo to play his first NHL game in his hometown.
But first things first.
The Hawks play the Los Angeles Kings tonight at the United Center, which will provide Kane one last chance to break his goal-scoring drought before heading for home.
Kane hasn't scored a goal in 12 games -- since Nov. 11 against Detroit, to be exact -- but claims he has not been dwelling on Saturday, when as many as 150 family and friends are expected to watch his homecoming.
"Obviously, with all the Buffalo media coming in and my friends talking about it and calling me about the weekend and stuff like that, it's on my mind a bit," Kane said Tuesday. "But I know at the same time I've got to get ready for (tonight) and make sure I can end this slump before I go there."
A reporter from the Buffalo News and a Buffalo TV crew were at Tuesday's practice in Bensenville. Then, after practice, Kane was on a conference call arranged by the NHL with reporters from across North America.
Kane is big news this week, but the news Hawks coach Denis Savard wants to see the rookie make is the kind that goes with breaking his goal drought.
Savard has not offered Kane any special advice to help get out of his slump.
"You know what, I've left him alone," Savard said. "If I see him not working, then I'll address it, but he's working and I want him to find ways to work through this because it's going to make him better.
"And he has worked hard. He's a special kid. He wants to do well, he wants to score, he wants to help his team win, so it's a good learning process for him.
"I don't think he has lost confidence. If he has, then I'd sit down with him."
It would surprise Savard if Kane were feeling overwhelmed by this weekend's return home, where he grew up a huge Sabres fan.
"I think it's awesome for him because he deserves all the accolades and the credit," Savard said. "I'm sure he's looking forward to it and he'll handle it very well. On Hockey Night in Canada in his first game in Toronto (on Oct. 20), I thought he was awesome."
Kane admits he is finding less room to work as opposing teams now focus much of their game plans on stopping him and Jonathan Toews.
"It's funny, at the beginning of the season the defense, they weren't really finishing their checks on me," Kane said. "Now they're making sure they finish everything. I guess the space is still there, but I've just got to find it a little bit more.
"It's kind of frustrating, but I need to start working harder and create more opportunities."
Teammate Martin Lapointe would like to see Kane and Toews shoot the puck more. Kane is averaging only 2.6 shots per game and Toews just 2.4.
"I'd like to see them shoot the puck more instead of trying to make the exciting play," Lapointe said. "You can't score if you don't shoot."
Kane has 7 goals on 76 shots for a 9.2 scoring percentage.
"Sometimes we try to look for too pretty of a play," Kane said. "But I think that's because we made those plays last year so we're kind of used to doing them. They're not that easy up here. Maybe just get some pucks on net, get some ugly goals and try to get going that way."
Tonight's faceoff
Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings at the United Center, 7:30 p.m.
TV: None
Radio: WSCR 670-AM
The skinny: The Hawks need a win, having dropped their last four games. The Kings have won only twice in their last six games and are last in the Western Conference, but they are coming off a 4-2 win over Vancouver on Monday -- a game in which they didn't have to face injured Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo. Kings center Anze Kopitar has a seven-game points scoring streak. He has 3 goals and 7 assists in the last five games. Nikolai Khabibulin starts in goal for the Hawks.
Player to watch: Anze Kopitar. The Kings' center is a rising star with 14 goals and 31 points.
Next: Saturday vs. the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena, 6 p.m.
-- Tim Sassone