THREE THINGS: Stymied, Friendly Foes and Helping Hawk

The Blackhawks dropped their first meeting of the season with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night, 2-1, with the lone goal a power-play conversion from Dylan Strome in the middle frame.
Kevin Lankinen stopped 25 shots in his first regulation loss after four straight starts with at least a point.

CHI vs. CBJ
GAMECENTER: CHI vs. CBJ
RECAP: Blackhawks Fall to Blue Jackets, 2-1
GALLERY: Blackhawks vs. Blue Jackets
INSIDER: Lankinen Seizing His Opportunity
"Overall we played a pretty solid game," head coach Jeremy Colliton said after the loss. "They're a good team, they work hard, they make you earn what you get and it's tough to come from behind against a team like that. They've got really good goaltending, but I thought we did a lot of good things and we created more than enough to score more than one goal and I thought we were fairly solid defensively. By no means are we satisfied and we expect to get better. We'll keep at it tomorrow at practice and continue to improve. I think we continue to move in the right direction."
"Low-scoring game. Both teams did a pretty good job defensively not giving up much," Lankinen said. "I think we, as a defense, played pretty well. Our defense has been so much better the last few games and I'm seeing a lot of good progress there. Obviously unlucky we didn't get a couple more goals, maybe could've won the game, but I think from a defensive standpoint we were pretty solid."

Here are three takeaways from the defeat:

STYMIED

Following an opening period with seven combined shots between the two teams, the final 40 minutes featured an entertaining trading of chances either way. The Blackhawks trailed early and were largely unable to solve Joonas Korpisalo in goal at the other end, especially in search of the equalizer late.
"I'm not satisfied, but we played well and we created more than enough to score, they just didn't go in," Colliton said after the game. "The biggest thing is that we pressed and we continued to create chances, but we didn't bleed chances the other way. There was one shift in the third where it got away from us, we got a couple big saves from Lanks, but we need to be able to press without risking too much and having them get the third goal and now the game's out of reach. On another night, those go in for us and we get two points."
"If we play like that more often than not," Strome said, "we're going to come out on the better end of it… We missed a lot of chances tonight that I feel like, most nights, go in. That's just the way it goes sometimes."

FRIENDLY FOES

In a goaltending duel on Friday night, more than just the two points were on the line for the goalies between the pipes. Lankinen and Korpisalo have known each other since they were teenagers in Finland and bragging rights were at stake.
"We're really good buddies. We hang out in the summer, we work out and skate together, so it was kind of fun to match up against him," Lankinen said. "He did a tremendous job, made some big stops. I think I'm going to hear about this game for a little while, but luckily we get them next time."
The duo combined for 55 saves on the night, with Korpisalo taking the edge, 30-25, and allowing just a single goal against in the Columbus victory. Chicago's backstop hopes he doesn't have to wait long to exact revenge on his longtime friend.
"Last time we played against each other was seven years ago in the Finnish League and I got the win, so I got those seven years time to get to him," Lankinen said. "I think he'll come back at me for a little while, but I think on Sunday we've got a new game and we're going to get them."

HELPING HAWK

It's no secret Patrick Kane is a creature of habit when it comes to preparing for a game, rom always flipping a puck over the glass to kids watching on to being the last player to leave the ice from either side.
Without fans in the building in recent months, he has resorted to flipping a puck over the glass near the end of warmups even without an out-stretched pair of arms to catch it on the other side. On Friday though, Chicago's favorite Hawk was there to help out with Kane's routine as the winger waited out the last Blue Jackets to leave the ice. Tommy Hawk stood for most of warmups in the first row of the 200 Level at the United Center with a sign tempting Kane to flip it high and far, at least some 100 feet to the mascot.
Tweet from @NHLBlackhawks: We'll work on it this season, Kaner 😁@BhawkTommyHawk | @88PKane pic.twitter.com/yxNJTfgz9B
Kane's attempt fell short, but with 25 home games left this season, the tandem is bound to connect sooner or later.