Kane, Toews finishing the way they started

When Blackhawks coach Denis Savard first saw Patrick Kane play up close and personal at last summer's rookie camp, he knew this was a special talent.

But nobody expected Kane to have the kind of season he will put the finishing touches on today when the Hawks play the Red Wings in Detroit -- not Savard and not even Kane, who admitted he has surpassed his own expectations.

"Yeah, it's probably gone better than I expected," Kane said.

It's fitting the Hawks' season ends today much the way it started -- with talk centering on Kane and Jonathan Toews and how the two rookies have not only lived up to expectations but gone way beyond them.

Kane takes 20 goals and 51 assists into the finale at Joe Louis Arena. He's the first Hawk to get as many as 70 points in a season since Eric Daze in 2001-02 and in the last 12 seasons only Daze, Tony Amonte, Chris Chelios and Steve Sullivan have done it.

Toews scored his 24th goal in Friday's 3-1 win over Nashville, giving him 55 points in just 64 games.

"Toews, because he played in the World Championships, I had an opportunity to watch him and you knew he was going to be able to be a difference this year," Savard said. "With Kaner, we didn't know. For me, I never saw him play except on video here and there. Prospect camp is where I felt that Kaner would be able to play. Even though it was against kids, he just dominated that prospect camp."

The Hawks believe Kane has the potential to be a 35-goal, 100-point player or better. There were those who questioned if the 5-foot-10, 163-pound Kane could hold up over the long season, but today's game will give him a full 82-game schedule under his belt.

Kane called it a relief to reach the 20-goal mark on Friday and will be shooting to be an even more consistent scorer next year.

"For next year and the years after you want to eliminate those little slumps you have of goal scoring," Kane said. "As the year goes on you really learn how to play in this league. It's a different game than juniors."

Kane, at 19, likely is through growing, but the Hawks do see him maturing physically and getting stronger.

"For him, he will do that naturally," Savard said. "But if you ask him to put 10 or 12 pounds on in one summer, I think that's impossible, but he'll grow into it.

"It's important that they work out hard this summer," Savard said, referring to Kane and Toews. "They always talk about that second-year jinx, but with them I'm not worried."

Toews hates to see the season end because he feels he is playing his best hockey now.

"I'd like to say I don't, but I still have a lot to learn," Toews said. "I'm going to keep learning this summer and keep learning next year."

• Denis Savard said Patrick Kane, Dustin Byfuglien and James Wisniewski have been asked to play for the United States in the upcoming World Championships by USA general manager David Poile of the Nashville Predators. Adam Burish might also receive an invitation.

Invitations to play for Canada have yet to be extended, but GM Steve Yzerman has been scouting the Hawks, likely with an eye on Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith.

• Brent Sopel, who has played through the pain the last few weeks, will undergo wrist surgery Tuesday.

• Robert Lang (sore back and groin) and Andrei Zyuzin (groin) won't play in today's finale at Detroit. Petri Kontiola and Niklas Hjalmarsson will be recalled from Rockford to fill in.

Today's faceoff

Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena, 11:30 a.m.

TV: Channel 5

Radio: WSCR 670-AM

The skinny: A win today by the Hawks in their season finale will give them 90 points for just the third time in the last 16 seasons. The Red Wings just want to get out of the game healthy after clinching the President's Trophy on Thursday as the NHL's champion of the regular season. Detroit will meet Nashville in the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks lead the season series 5-2. Tomas Holmstrom might play after missing 13 games with a groin problem, but the Red Wings have Kris Draper, Mikael Samuelsson, Kirk Maltby, Brad Stuart and Tomas Kopecky out with injuries.

Player to watch: Nikolai Khabibulin. The Hawks' goalie probably returns next season, but you never know.

--Tim Sassone