Blues defeat Blackhawks, move into second wild card in West

CHICAGO -- The St. Louis Blues moved into the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with a 4-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Friday.
"We knew we needed sort of a defense-first mentality," Blues coach Mike Yeo said. "They're so dangerous, some of the players they have out there. Obviously [Patrick] Kane, [Patrick] Sharp, those guys, I thought they were a threat, but we were on guard against it all night and did a pretty good job managing the puck."

WATCH: [All Blues vs. Blackhawks highlights]
Patrik Berglund had a hat trick, Jaden Schwartz scored, and Carter Hutton made 19 saves for the Blues (44-31-6), who had lost four straight. St. Louis leads the Colorado Avalanche by one point for the second wild card in the West. The teams play Saturday in the final game of the regular season.

"I think we all played a really good game today, so it's good for everybody's confidence," Berglund said. "We know what we have to do tomorrow. We need to rest up and be ready."
Erik Gustafsson scored, and J-F Berube made 31 saves for the Blackhawks (33-38-10), who went 18-18-5 at home.
After the game, Sharp announced this will "probably" be his last season in the NHL.
"It was a tough game out there, tough to concentrate with what was going on inside my head," Sharp said. "But, thankful that I was able to do that, and the Hawks put that video on for me in the third, which was really special, and the guys standing out on the ice and making me do a lap was something I'll always remember. It was a special night."
Berglund gave the Blues a 1-0 lead at 18:17 of the first period when he redirected Joel Edmundson's shot from the point past Berube. Gustafsson tied it 1-1 at 8:08 of the third period, beating Hutton short side with a shot from the left circle.

"I didn't love the goal," Hutton said. "I kind of got caught cheating a bit, but it's also been how long since I've played? (Once since March 3). I think there's a lot of positives you can take out of it. For us, I thought we played a great, structured game. It's especially what we're going to need heading into tomorrow."
Berglund scored 16 seconds later to make it 2-1, scoring into an open net after Robert Bortuzzo's shot from the point was blocked in front.
"[The goal] was really important," Berglund said. "This was a very big game for us. It's good that we came back right away."
Schwartz extended the lead to 3-1 at 12:40 on a one-timer from the slot off a pass from behind the net by Brayden Schenn. Berglund completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal at 18:49 to make it 4-1.

Goal of the game

Berglund's goal at 8:24 of the third period.

Save of the game

Hutton's save on Sharp at 11:21 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Berglund's goal at 18:17 of the first period.

They said it

"It clears the picture, but there's work to be done. Now we know what we need for tomorrow. It's going to be an intense hockey game."-- Blues coach Mike Yeo
"You never want to come to grips with it to be honest with you. But that's probably one of the reasons I came back. Chicago's my home and it's my family's home. ... I know it hasn't been the season that we've all wanted, but it really does mean a lot to me." -- Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp on this season likely being his last in the NHL

Need to know

Blues goalie Jake Allen, who was scratched to rest, is expected to start against the Avalanche on Saturday, Yeo said. ... The Blackhawks used seven defensemen because forward Tomas Jurco (illness) did not play.

What's next

Blues:At the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday (9 p.m. ET; NHLN, ALT, FS-MW, NHL.TV)
Blackhawks:At the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SN, WGN, NHL.TV)