Blues score twice in 3rd, top Blackhawks in Game 3

CHICAGO -- The St. Louis Blues did something against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Sunday that no one had done in nearly two years.
Patrik Berglund and Jaden Schwartz scored third-period goals, and the Blues came from behind to defeat the Blackhawks 3-2 in Game 3 of their Western Conference First Round series. Brian Elliott made 44 saves for the Blues, who lead the best-of-7 series 2-1. Game 4 is Tuesday in Chicago (9:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports, FS-MW, CSN-CH).

The Blues became the first team to defeat the Blackhawks in regulation when Chicago led after two periods since the Los Angeles Kings won 6-2 at United Center on May 21, 2014, in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. Chicago had been 71-0-5 since that loss.

"We've come back so many times," St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said. "I don't know what we've done, seven or eight already this year. It just doesn't seem to be a big deal with this group. We've got a lot of resiliency in us."
Just as they did twice in the regular season against Chicago, the Blues trailed starting the third and came back to win. One of those victories was in a shootout at Scottrade Center (March 9) and the other ended in overtime at United Center (April 7).
St. Louis also overcame a 5-2 first-period deficit Nov. 4 in Chicago, tied the game in the second period and won 6-5 in overtime. Counting the regular season, this was the eighth time the Blues have trailed starting the third and won (8-20-3).
Berglund's goal tied it 2-2 at 5:15 of the third. He took a shot that clipped Blackhawks defenseman Michal Rozsival's left skate, bounced off the ice and went over the glove of Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford.
"Stuff happens in games and playoffs," said Crawford, who made 33 saves. "You have to try to not hang onto moments like that and let that affect you. We were in control of that game and that's a tough one. A wicked, wicked bounce. You just somehow have to not let that get in your way and keep playing."

The Blues controlled the play afterward. They held Chicago to 12 shots in the third, after being outshot 24-13 in the second, and capitalized on a mistake by Patrick Kane just past the midway point.
Kane's stick hit Alex Pietrangelo in the face and he was assessed a double minor for high sticking. Schwartz scored the game-winner, the first of his NHL career, 1:31 into the long power play. He camped in the low slot, took a feed from David Backes and snapped a shot past Crawford.
"I was trying to lift the guy's stick there and got it up," Kane said. "You see there's blood there, you know it's not a good thing. [I've] just got to be smarter in that situation. I'll take responsibility on that one, for sure."
Defenseman Colton Parayko scored in the first period for St. Louis, which went 2-for-3 on the power play and got its first two man-advantage goals of the series.

Brent Seabrook and Artem Anisimov scored for Chicago, which went 1-for-4 with the extra man, is 2-for-12 in the series (16.7 percent) and has one goal during 5-on-5 play in the three games.
Unlike the first two games, it didn't take long for the first goal.
Seabrook put the Blackhawks up 1-0 at 2:18 of the first period with a point shot that went through traffic and past Elliott to cap a power play. It was Seabrook's 20th career playoff goal, moving him past Doug Wilson and Bob Murray for most all-time by a Blackhawks defenseman.
St. Louis tied it 1-1 at 12:11 on Parayko's goal, a one-timer from the left circle on the Blues' first power play. Anisimov made it 2-1 with the lone goal scored in the second, which had a combined 50 shots attempts.
Elliott faced 24 shots in the second and had to make three quick saves in the first minute, before Anisimov scored at 1:04. Rookie left wing Artemi Panarin, who took his first NHL faceoff on the play, got the assist by chasing down the puck in the corner for a feed to Anisimov.

It was the only shot of the period that the Blackhawks could get past Elliott, who set a playoff career high in saves.
"The second [period] they came out real strong, and when they get going like that, they're a team that can create momentum," said defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, whose back-to-back penalties early in the first period gave the Blackhawks their second and third power plays. "They can get going on that cycle and make it hard to stop sometimes. It's just a matter of trying not to give up real good chances. Brian made some real good saves, and that's always been the story."
Crawford came up big in the second period as well, making five saves within 18 seconds in one sequence to preserve the lead. With 5:59 left in the period, Andrew Ladd nearly put Chicago up by two goals, but his wrist shot from the left circle hit both posts and bounced out.
The Blues made their first lineup change of the series by activating forward Steve Ott, who hadn't played since Dec. 6 after surgery to repair both hamstrings followed a bout of colitis. Chicago played forward Dale Weise for the first time in the series.