Blues 3 - 4 Blackhawks
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Bolland helps Blackhawks best Blues

Mar 30, 2012 - 5:23 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Dave Bolland supplied the lone goal in the fourth round of the shootout, as the Chicago Blackhawks overcame blowing a two-goal lead in the third period to edge the St. Louis Blues, 4-3, at the United Center.

Andrew Brunette and Patrick Sharp scored in the third period for Chicago, which snapped a two-game winless streak and notched its sixth win in eight games overall.

The Blackhawks, who are now one point behind fifth-place Nashville in the Western Conference standings, could have clinched a playoff berth if Phoenix lost to San Jose in regulation Thursday, but the Coyotes won 2-0.

Sharp remembers trying to make the postseason last year and the toll it took on his team.

"It was taxing on a lot of players down the stretch trying to get in (to the playoffs) and when we did get in we had to ramp it back up," said Sharp. "Hopefully we can get in."

The point earned in the shootout gives the Blues 106, one more than the New York Rangers in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.

"When we play the right way -- I'm not going to say we dominate every single team, but we're not going to get outplayed (like we did tonight)," said Blues forward David Perron, who scored.

Brunette gave Chicago the lead 4:15 into the third period, scoring into an open net from the slot with a backhander, and Sharp buried Viktor Stalberg's feed on a 2-on-0 rush at 8:40.

St. Louis responded with goals from Jason Arnott and Perron. Arnott lit the lamp 55 seconds after Sharp gave the Blackhawks a 3-1 lead. Perron positioned himself in front of Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford and redirected a Kris Russell slap shot from just inside the blue line with 1:32 remaining.

The Blues had a 7-2 edge in shots in the extra frame.

After the first six shooters were turned away, Bolland skated down the middle of the ice and faked a shot before slipping the puck past St. Louis' Jaroslav Halak. Patrik Berglund then beat Crawford, but his shot rang off the goalpost.

Chicago's Bryan Bickell and St. Louis forward Alexander Steen traded goals nine seconds part in the first period.

Game Notes

Crawford made 17 saves, while Halak stopped 37 shots...Chicago finished with a 4-2-0 record against St. Louis during the regular season...The Blues suffered their seventh straight loss in Chicago.






Related News