Kane, Toews put on show for Hawks fans: 'It never gets old' originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Going into Friday, Patrick Kane had only two points in his last eight games and just two goals in his last 24. Jonathan Toews had cooled off a bit too, although he did put together a mini three-game point streak recently.
The Blackhawks had also lost eight in a row and hadn't won a home game since Nov. 3, almost two months ago. Things have been dire in Chicago as of late.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
But on Friday, the Blackhawks' two franchise icons put on a show for the 17,108 fans who made the trek in sub-zero temperatures and guided their team to a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. They were named the No. 1 and No. 2 stars of the game, respectively.
"I thought the building was into the game tonight," Kane said. "It was a fun game to be a part of. It felt kind of like a playoff game even though both teams are at the bottom of the standings. It was a good, competitive game and nice for us to get a win in front of the crowd before the holidays and feel good going into it."
In the bigger picture, Kane and Toews are taking things one day at a time in regard to their future. They understand it's going to be a topic of conversation as the March 3 trade deadline approaches, with both players in the final years of their contracts.
Local
Because of the uncertainty, Kane and Toews are trying to soak up nights like Friday as much as possible, with the two of them having big nights together.
"There's no doubt this season it's being talked a lot, given the situation of where our team's at and where the two of us are in our career," Toews said. "When it's talked about, it's definitely on your mind a little bit more to enjoy every moment. You never know how long you'll play the game, let alone play in a city like Chicago in front of our fans. It really never gets old.
"It's one of those things that you can't ever let yourself take it for granted. It's pretty special. A couple games ago, we played our 1,000th game together, so that was another thing that was pretty special to myself. It's nice to make a couple plays together like we did for old times' sake and get us a win."
Echoed Kane: "Obviously you cherish these moments. It's been amazing to play for this franchise and in this city and be able to grow as a player and as a man, so we'll see what the future brings, but these moments are always nice."
Click here to subscribe to the Blackhawks Talk Podcast for free.
