Stars at Blues
The Dallas Stars owned the league's most potent attack during the regular season, but the St. Louis Blues are putting on an offensive show in the second-round series between the Central Division rivals. Coming off a six-goal outburst, the Blues can push the visiting Stars to the brink of elimination in Game 4 on Thursday night.
After salvaging a split in Dallas with a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 2, St. Louis steamrolled the Stars 6-1 on Tuesday night, but Blues coach Ken Hitchcock sounded a cautionary tone with the media on Wednesday. "We have a 2-1 lead in a playoff series very much up in the air," Hitchcock told reporters. "They (the Stars) get the game tomorrow and they're thinking they have home ice back again." Emotions were high toward the end of Game 3 and there could be a carry-over effect after St. Louis forward Ryan Reaves blew a kiss to the Dallas bench following a fight with Curtis McKenzie. "Our guys were embarrassed last night, and that's stuff you take to heart," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said of the incident. "That's stuff you use."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVAS
ABOUT THE STARS: Ruff has masterfully alternated goaltenders Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen, who each registered 25 wins during the regular season and took turns picking up one another in the postseason before each stumbled in the past two games against St. Louis. Lehtonen was yanked after allowing three goals on five shots in the Game 2 loss before Niemi was pulled after surrendering three goals on 12 shots in Tuesday's rout, giving Ruff a tough decision for Game 4. "It hasn't been a goalie issue, really," Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski told reporters. "We're giving up some big chances at bad times, early in games. ... But losing confidence in our goalies is not an issue. It's our game. It's been that way all season."
ABOUT THE BLUES: St. Louis captain David Backes had a spotty playoff history with only five goals in his previous past five postseasons combined, but he has matched that total with five goals in 10 games against Chicago and Dallas. Three of those have been game-winning tallies for Backes, including a pair in overtime, to join Brett Hull and Scott Young as the only players in franchise history with three in one postseason. "He's stepping up to the plate right now," Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo told reporters. "I think that's three game-winning goals for us, that's what we need from our leader. He's obviously a big influence in the dressing room every single day, but he's really stepping up to the plate right now."
OVERTIME
1. The Blues have snuffed out all 11 power-play chances by Dallas.
2. Stars F Patrick Eaves, injured in the series opener, and F Tyler Seguin will sit out Game 4.
3. Blues F Vladimir Tarasenko, who scored once and set up two goals Tuesday, has 15 goals and 20 points in 23 career playoff games.