For Kane in Buffalo, it's halo, goodbye

The first time Patrick Kane returned to his hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., two years ago, he was greeted as a hero, an NHL rookie making his community proud after being the first player selected in the 2007 draft. Before the Blackhawks took on the Buffalo Sabres, he was cheered at the morning skate and honored at a pregame ceremony that also included his father and grandfather.

Kane might be in for a different kind of reception for his second visit at Buffalo tonight.

''The first one was like a celebration -- a lot of tributes to myself. This one I might get booed,'' Kane said after practice Thursday at the United Center.

He lost a little of his rookie glow this past summer when he was arrested after an early-morning incident with a Buffalo cab driver. The specifics of that confrontation, which also included Kane's cousin, were never completely clear, but Kane's only legal punishment was filing a letter of apology to the cab driver. His image, though, was tarnished a bit.

''While I had a lot of support, the media beat me up pretty good [in Buffalo],'' said Kane, who noted that some members of the Buffalo media have since apologized. ''But I try not to think about that too much. I try to think about the positive things that have happened. I feel like the same kid, but maybe I'm more mature in certain situations. You've got to realize that the microscope is on you, and with that comes responsibility. Everything I do, even walking down the street, I've got to treat as if it'll be publicized. That helped me grow up a bit.''

At the same time Kane was going through his ordeal, quarterback Michael Vick and Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino -- both more high-profile sports personalities -- were dealing with their own, more sordid issues differently.

''Pitino went on the national media [over an extramarital affair] and had an outburst,'' Kane said. ''That's what I wanted to do, in a sense -- maybe just say my story. But maybe at the end of the day it was best to just let it unfold.''

Kane has never ducked questions about his incident but has said ''probably only the three people in that cab will know what happened.''

The reaction he receives tonight probably won't be so bad -- or so thinks defenseman Brian Campbell, who played eight seasons for the Sabres before being traded. Tonight's game will be his first back in Buffalo with an opposing team.

''The people in Buffalo should be very proud of Pat and what he's done,'' Campbell said. ''He's the biggest player to come out of there. He should get a warm reception. He paved the way for a lot of kids coming out of Buffalo.''

Kane, who has 28 points and is a plus-7, shares the team lead in goals (nine) with Kris Versteeg and Dustin Byfuglien and the team lead in assists (19) with Duncan Keith. Though Kane has gone eight games without a goal, coach Joel Quenneville likes the progress he has made in his third NHL season, and Kane will be a Hawk for a long time after just signing a five-year contract extension that will pay him $6.3 million per season.

''I like his whole approach to this season,'' Quenneville said. ''You could see him progress as a young kid. Everybody goes through stretches where you learn and become a stronger person. He handled a tough situation well, and we've moved on from it.''

The Hawks head into tonight's game with a 5-0-1 record against Eastern Conference teams. They lead the Central Division, while the Sabres are tops in the Northeast. Buffalo is the only team in the Eastern Conference without a loss to a Western Conference opponent. The Sabres are 5-0 against the West.

TONIGHT

BLACKHAWKS AT SABRES

The facts: 6:30, CSN,

720-AM.

- NHL standings: 57

Color Photo: David Duprey, AP / Hawks winger Patrick Kane was a hometown darling in Buffalo, N.Y., but he's ready for catcalls tonight after his much-publicized run-in with a local cabbie in August.