Desperate times as Blue Jackets hold off Blackhawks

It's getting harder and harder to believe the Blackhawks are a legitimate playoff team.

The Hawks continue to talk a good game, saying all the right things about knowing how much time is left and that it's time to play desperate — but they just can't deliver the goods with any consistency.

The Hawks' 4-3 loss to the Blue Jackets at the United Center on Friday was crushing for a team that has left itself with very little wiggle room with just 24 games to play and three teams to climb over to get the eighth and final spot.

“It's not a good position to be in, but we have 24 games left,” Patrick Kane said. “I know we keep saying this. We've got to get hot.”

Kane did his part with linemates Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp, but the Hawks had little else going for them.

Kane had a goal and 2 assists, while Sharp scored twice with an assist.

Kane could have been motivated by a Deadspin.com story accompanied by photos on Friday that claimed he missed practice on Monday and Tuesday because of a hangover and not the flu that has been running through the team.

“I think that web site kind of speaks for itself,” Kane said. “You get two off and you're sick and people are going to make up things. I don't know where the pictures came from, if they're from the summer or what.

“I guess that's the kind of reputation I have around here where you're sick for two days and people think you're doing that stuff. I got a text from my buddy and you see that and your heart kind of drops, especially when you're sick. I think that web site makes up a lot of stuff.

“I'm here to play hockey,” Kane said. “That's what I love doing. Especially thing time of year, I'm focused on what this team has to do and what I have to do. That's all I have to say about that.”

Penalties by Viktor Stalberg and Nick Leddy hurt the Hawks in the second period when Columbus scored 3 straight goals a little over five minutes apart, including 2 on power plays after faceoff losses, to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead just like that.

“We didn't win one draw on the kill and both of them ended up in the net,” assistant coach Mike Haviland said. “It's obviously a momentum swing right there.”

The Hawks led 2-1 after the first period on 2 goals by Sharp, his 29th and 30th of the season.

Kane set up both goals, the first with a pass that sent Sharp in alone on goalie Steve Mason. Kane made a nice move along the boards on the second goal to get the puck to Toews, who fed Sharp in front.

But the second period was a disaster.

“I thought we played a pretty good first period and had chances in the second to put the puck in the net,” Haviland said. “I thought they started outworking us and that's unacceptable this time of the year for sure.

“I think in the second we got a little bit more on the offensive side of the puck, thinking that we wanted to score goals instead of playing the system and staying with the game plan we had going in. We got away from it.”

Tim Sassone's game tracker

Blue Jackets 4, Blackhawks 3

<B>Three stars</B>

1. R.J. Umberger, Blue Jackets: Two assists and 6 hits.

2. Patrick Sharp, Hawks: Two goals, including his 30th, with an assist.

3. Steve Mason, Blue Jackets: Strong 37-save performance.

<B>By the numbers</B>

The Blue Jackets outhit the Hawks 43-18. How does that happen in your own building?