Blackhawks off their game in return home

Long road trips end, but the hangover can linger.

Finally back home after eight games on the road, the Blackhawks looked sluggish for much of Wednesday night's 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues at the United Center.

The Hawks lost their second game in a row despite outshooting the Blues 34-19.

"If you look at the tradition of anybody coming back off an extended trip the first game back is often a challenging game," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "We did generate a lot of scoring chances but didn't quite get the finish with the net-front presence that we like.

"It was kind of a frustrating game, like the Carolina game. We outchanced the opponent by a big number and wind up on the short end of it."

The Hawks managed to take a 1-0 lead out of the first period, but a defensive collapse late in the second period led to 3 goals by the Blues - 2 of them coming 69 seconds apart in the final two minutes.

"We just got sloppy, started playing a cute game out there, I guess," defenseman Brian Campbell said. "Joel wasn't happy with it, obviously. We've got to get back to playing a little bit more grittier and simplifying it and making safe plays."

Patrick Kane's goal on a breakaway in the first period held up until a turnover by Duncan Keith led to David Backes' tying goal at 11:31 of the second.

Keith tried to pass to Brent Seabrook off the end boards, but the puck died behind the net where Paul Kariya got it and fed Backes in front.

A poor hooking penalty to Ben Eager in the offensive zone resulted in Backes' second goal on a power play at 18:29.

Then a turnover by Andrew Ladd in the final minute was converted into Jay McClement's goal with 22 seconds left in the period.

"A lot of our puck-possession game led to their offense," Quenneville said. "We had the nice lead. I liked our first period, and I didn't mind our first half of the second."

McClement's goal, which proved to be the winner, came moments after Blues goalie Chris Mason stopped a shot by Ladd on a 3-on-1.

"I think the turning point was we got a 3-on-1 and the next thing you know it's 3-1," Quenneville said. "It could have easily been 2-2 on that play."

Marian Hossa's short-handed goal at 4:16 of the third period, assisted by Jonathan Toews, brought the Hawks within 1 with plenty of time remaining. But they never really got another good opportunity against Mason.

"That's not the game we wanted, obviously," Kane said. "They played pretty good over there, but we didn't generate much of anything to be proud of.

"Definitely a tough loss and definitely a tough second period."

Campbell wasn't buying into the road trip-hangover thing.

"I've heard that before, but we've had three days since being off the road and some days off there," Campbell said. "I expect us to come out better and if you don't have it then you've got to play simpler.

"It's definitely frustrating, especially when we get the first goal there. We've got to continue after that with some better shifts."

<p class="factboxheadblack">Tim Sassone's game tracker</p>

<p class="News">Blues 3, Blackhawks 2</p>

<p class="News"><b>Three stars:</b></p>

<p class="News">1. David Backes, Blues: His 2 goals in the second period turned the game around.</p>

<p class="News">2. Chris Mason, Blues: The St. Louis goalie made 32 saves, including 13 in the third period.</p>

<p class="News">3. Marian Hossa, Hawks: One of the long bright spots for the Hawks with a short-handed goal, his fourth.</p>

<p class="News"><b>By the numbers:</b> The Hawks blocked only 4 shots and were 0-for-2 on the power play. John Madden went 11-5 on faceoffs.</p>

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