CHICAGO _ At 30, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews both are on target to play the most minutes of their careers.
But they haven't been producing as much the last few games and Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton is ready to reduce their playing time just a bit to try to get them going.
"Because we need them to produce," Colliton said. "When they don't, it's hard for us to win."
Kane is playing a career-high 22 minutes, 30 seconds per game and could become the first Hawks player in nearly 30 years to score 50 goals in a season. Toews' 20:59 ice-time average is eight seconds per game more than his previous career high.
"I feel good," said Kane, who has gone without a point in three of his last four games after a 20-game point streak. "I was playing good there for a while, didn't have a great trip obviously but still feel pretty confident about my game. It's not like I really feel tired out there. When they tell me to go out there I will."
Toews, who has one goal and five assists in his last six games, is right on board with Kane.
"We all realize these are our playoffs right now," Toews said. "We have some guys in this room aside from myself that are getting a lot of ice time and a lot of pressure and have seen some tough, heavy games and never really make excuses. I don't think fatigue should be an excuse."
