Blackhawks at Blues
St. Louis Blues captain David Backes isn't going to apologize for scoring an aesthetically unappealing goal. After his pinball tally in overtime gave the Blues a series-opening victory, Backes' Blues look to put the defending Stanley Cup-champion Chicago Blackhawks in an early hole when the Central Division rivals reconvene in the Gateway City for Game 2 on Friday.
"That's an ugly goal," Backes told reporters after his attempted centering feed banked off the skate of Chicago defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk and between the pads of Corey Crawford at 9:04 of overtime in the Blues' 1-0 win on Wednesday. "I specialize in those and rightfully so. ... (Our team) put this in perspective. It's one game, start 0-0 again on Friday and do it all over again." The Blackhawks will welcome back a familiar face on Friday as reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Duncan Keith returns from his six-game suspension for high sticking Minnesota's Charlie Coyle on March 29. "You want to be out there helping the guys to try and win the hockey game. That in itself is frustrating especially it being as big a game as it was," Keith told CSN Chicago. "But I'm excited to get back and play again and try to do everything I can to help get a win."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, SN, TVAS2, CSN Chicago, FSN-Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Patrick Kane didn't appear fazed after Chicago found itself on the receiving end of a physical performance by St. Louis, which enjoyed a lopsided 41-24 edge in hits on Wednesday. "Ninety percent of the games we’ll be outhit because we have the puck," the NHL's leader in points (106) told CSN Chicago. "We'll focus on what we do best." Kane, who became the first American-born player to win the league scoring title this season, saw his best chance go by the boards on Wednesday when he was denied by Brian Elliott on a 2-on-1 rush early in the second period.
ABOUT THE BLUES: Elliott continued his scintillating play as he followed his 11-1-0 stretch to end the regular season with a 35-save performance in his first playoff start in three years. The 31-year-old denied Jonathan Toews' bid on a breakaway at 6:58 of the second and thwarted the captain and Kane on solid chances in overtime. "I think he's comfortable in that element now, which, to me, is a big change for Brian," St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Because he's comfortable in this setting now: You see his athleticism come out now. You see his confidence come out now."
OVERTIME
1. Chicago LW Andrew Ladd is expected to play on Friday after his wife, Brandy, gave birth to the couple's third child, a boy named Walker Gordon.
2. St. Louis D Alex Pietrangelo has scored two goals and set up five others in his last five contests.
3. Blackhawks D Niklas Hjalmarsson recorded five of his team's 21 blocked shots in Game 1.