Power play work in progress for Blackhawks

Jonathan Toews scored a power-play goal Saturday against the Avalanche. | Getty Images

Updated: January 23, 2012 3:08AM

The Blackhawks took one step forward and one step back on the power play in their 5-4 shootout loss Saturday to the Colorado Avalanche.

Jonathan Toews’ goal eight seconds into a power play with less than a minute left in the second period ended a run in which the Hawks converted on only
1 of 12 chances with the man advantage.

‘‘We simplified,’’ coach Joel Quenneville said. ‘‘The first power play [against the Avalanche] was very effective with shooting and getting some action off the shots. The next one, we got a point shot through and scored.’’

But the Hawks were unable to capitalize on a 4-on-3 power play for nearly two minutes to start overtime. Quenneville initially sent out an all-forward power play, with Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa on the ice.

‘‘It would have been nice [to score],’’ Quenneville said. ‘‘[Andrew Brunette] had a chance [later in the power play]. Unfortunately, the first part wasn’t very good.’’

The Hawks are 4-for-27 (14.8 percent) on the power play this season.

Experiment over

Quenneville said that Kane’s time at center has moved beyond the experimental phase and that he has found a permanent home in the middle of the ice.

‘‘We’ll say he’s a centerman,’’ Quenneville said.

But Kane, a former winger, said there remains a lot for him to learn about his new position.

‘‘[The] coaches point different things out to me, whether it’s that sometimes I tend to play like a winger and little things down low [or] faceoffs,’’ Kane said. ‘‘[I’m] learning every day, for sure.’’

Notes

The Hawks didn’t commit a penalty Saturday. It was the first game since
March 29 of last season they weren’t called for a penalty.

◆ The attendance of 21,328 on Saturday at the United Center marked the Hawks’ 150th consecutive sellout, including playoffs.

◆ The Hawks didn’t practice Sunday.

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