By: Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — If the St. Louis Blues somehow find a way into the playoffs in their final 10 games, they definitely will remember this weekend.
Patrik Berglund scored 3:31 into overtime, and the Blues rallied for a big 5-4 victory over the lowly Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night.
Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Vince Dunn each had a goal and three assists for the Blues (39-28-5), who also trailed 3-2 after two periods in Saturday night’s 4-3 overtime victory against the Rangers. Alexander Steen had a goal and an assist, and Vladimir Sobotka also scored.
St. Louis is hoping to earn one of two wild cards in the tough Western Conference, but it trails Colorado, Anaheim and Dallas heading into the final stretch of the season.
“It’s been a couple of really good days for us,” Berglund said.
The Blues were trailing 4-3 with 1:22 left in regulation when Pietrangelo drove a long slap shot past a screened Jean-Francois Berube for his 15th of the season. Berglund then got the winner when his shot from near the right circle trickled through Berube’s legs in OT.
“A couple of really big come-from-behind wins, but tonight was another level playing back-to-back games,” coach Mike Yeo said.
Alex DeBrincat scored three times for last-place Chicago (30-34-9), which has dropped five of six, including its first loss to Buffalo since December 2009 on Saturday. David Kampf also scored, and Berube made 36 saves.
“Inconsistency’s a word we’ve used too often this year,” coach Joel Quenneville said.
DeBrincat gave the Blackhawks a 4-3 lead when the rookie completed his third career hat trick at 16:47 of the third, beating Jake Allen with a one-timer off a nice pass from Artem Anisimov.
But St. Louis rallied one more time while playing without star forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who leads the team with 27 goals. He is day to day with an upper-body injury after he got hurt in the first period against New York.
St. Louis also trailed 2-0 after one and 3-2 after a wild conclusion to the second period.
“It’s fun to watch. This group is resilient,” Pietrangelo said.
The Blues almost had the go-ahead goal with 1:57 left in the second when Jaden Schwartz’s shot squeezed by Berube and came tantalizingly close to crossing the line before Blackhawks defenseman Jordan Oesterle knocked it back into his goaltender. The on-ice call of no goal was confirmed by a replay review.
Kampf then got a pass from Vinnie Hinostroza and drove to the net for his fourth of the season, making it 3-2 with just 1.4 seconds to go.
The Blackhawks held on to the advantage until Kyle Brodziak and Sobotka hooked up for the tying score 15:24 into the third. Brodziak slid the puck in front from behind the net and Berube lost track of it before Sobotka knocked it in for his 11th of the season.
“I feel like we’ve played well and came up a little bit short. That’s been the theme of this whole season,” DeBrincat said.
DeBrincat scored twice in the first period, stopping a 13-game drought. But the Blues responded with two power-play goals in the second after beginning the night with one of the worst power-play units in the league.
Dunn was involved in each play. First, he had a big slap shot from the high slot go off Steen and past Berube at 2:02. Then he tied it at 2 with a one-timer from the right circle for his fifth goal at 5:14.
NOTES: Allen finished with 26 saves. … It was the first meeting between the teams since St. Louis’ 5-2 victory on Oct. 18. They play two more times during the final week of the regular season. … Blackhawks C Matthew Highmore left in the second period after he was hit by Blues forward Brayden Schenn and went hard into the boards. He skated off with towel on his face for a cut on the side of his mouth. … Quenneville had no update on G Corey Crawford (upper-body injury) and F Anthony Duclair (lower body). Crawford hasn’t played since Dec. 23, but the Blackhawks are leaving open the possibility he could play again this season.
UP NEXT
Blues: Host the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.
Blackhawks: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
