Kane extends streak in Chicago Blackhawks' loss

Ask most hockey players what the first home game is like after a long road trip and they'll tell you it's going to be a challenge.

The reason is simple in that on the road the focus is on hockey, hockey, hockey. But when players come home, there's myriad things to sort out, so getting revved up for another game isn't always that easy.

The Blackhawks, who had just completed a 3-1-2 West Coast road trip, certainly fell into that trap early in their 2-1 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday night at the United Center, getting outshot 12-3 in the first 13 minutes and falling behind 1-0 after one period.

Still, the Hawks battled back thanks to Patrick Kane's second-period goal - a tally that tied the game and extended his points streak to 20 games - and Corey Crawford was outstanding all night in making 34 saves.

In the end, though, the Hawks never could beat Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk a second time, and Ryan Suter potted the game-winner with 7:56 remaining in the third period to drop the Hawks to 13-9-3 overall and 8-3-1 at the United Center.

Over the last four years, the Hawks are 1-3 in the four home games that follow the circus trip.

"You don't really know why, whether it's coming back off the time change or whatever it may be," Kane said. "I think everyone had that in the back of their head coming into tonight's game. When you have two days to get ready and come back at it, there's really no excuse. We probably could have had a little bit better effort tonight."

Kane scored on the power play after Duncan Keith made a all-star-like play, lifting Mikko Koivu's stick as Koivu tried racing out of the Hawks' offensive zone. Keith gained control and passed to Kane, who flubbed his shot in front of Devan Dubnyk, only to have the puck somehow slide between Dubnyk's legs.

"I was lucky it went in," said Kane, who can tie Bobby Hull's team record of 21 straight games with a point Thursday in Ottawa.

Said Dubnyk: "I was laughing with him in the third. It's like, God, the guy's sniped so many posts and that happens."

Despite the slow start, it wasn't like the Hawks didn't have some prime scoring chances. Jonathan Toews had two such opportunities in the first period, but he was denied by Dubnyk on a breakaway with 13:20 left and then again right on the doorstep later in the period.

Marko Dano also had a strong game but failed to score in close at least twice.

"We don't want to change how we have to play, we just need some finish," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

The Wild, 1-4-2 in their seven previous games, won it when Mikael Grandlund got in the offensive zone behind Artem Anisimov and Duncan Keith. Crawford made an amazing save of a Grandlund shot after a pass from Zach Parise, but Suter was there to chip the puck into the net for the game-winner.

Said Keith: "At the end of the day, I think they probably came ready to play a little better than we did, outworked us in certain areas."