NHL PLAYOFFS

Overtime goal puts ’Hawks in 2-0 hole

St. Louis Blues defenseman Barret Jackman (5) is congratulated by teammates Adam Cracknell (right) and Roman Polak (46) after scoring the game-winning goal against the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime of their first-round NHL playoff game Saturday in St. Louis. The Blues won 4-3 and took a 2-0 series lead.
St. Louis Blues defenseman Barret Jackman (5) is congratulated by teammates Adam Cracknell (right) and Roman Polak (46) after scoring the game-winning goal against the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime of their first-round NHL playoff game Saturday in St. Louis. The Blues won 4-3 and took a 2-0 series lead.

ST. LOUIS - Vladimir Tarasenko and St. Louis were in trouble Saturday before a vicious hit by Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook provided an opening for the Blues.

That little crack was all St. Louis needed to put another dent in the Blackhawks’ bid for a second consecutive NHL Stanley Cup title.

Seabrook’s blow to the head of David Backes led to a 6-on-4 power play for St. Louis that ended with Tarasenko’s tying goal with 6.4 seconds left in regulation, and low-scoring defenseman Barret Jackman ended the game with a drive through traffic, giving the Blues their second consecutive 4-3 overtime victory over the Blackhawks and a 2-0 series lead.

“Those seeing-eye shots, I couldn’t believe it went in,” Blues Coach Ken Hitchcock said.

St. Louis took the opener in triple-overtime and fought off a Chicago rally in a game that began less than 39 hours later. Game 3 is Monday night in Chicago.

Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford tossed his equipment around in the locker room before meeting with reporters. He said he was screened a bit on the game-winner, adding, “I had my pads together, but there was a little space there and it just kind of squeezed through.”

Addressing the tying goal, Crawford said: “It’s frustrating, but whatever. I’m not going to cry about it. We’ve just got to work harder.”

Jackman is the longest-tenured Blues player in a career dating to 2002, and totaled three goals and 15 points in the regular season. He has two career playoff goals, both in overtime and both giving the Blues a 2-0 series lead, also stunning the Kings in the first round in 2012 - although the Kings recovered to take four consecutive.

“We were taking some big hits and kept our composure,” Jackman said. “And in the end, one squeaks in.”

St. Louis rallied after Seabrook received a five-minute major and game misconduct penalty for his hit on Backes that could lead to a suspension for one of Chicago’s top defensemen. The Blues captain had to be helped off the ice, went straight to the locker room and did not return for the extra period.

“I have no thoughts on the hit, that’s up to the league,” Hitchcock said. “How do you think he is? Not great. Let the league deal with it.”

Seabrook said he wasn’t trying to hurt Backes.

“I feel bad seeing a guy like that on the ice,” Seabrook said. “I’ve been there myself. I wasn’t trying to target his head or do anything like that.”

Blackhawks Coach Joel Quennevillle didn’t want to comment on the hit until he had taken a closer look. At the time, he was worried about the game situation.

“We’re almost through it and I was like ‘Oh, my God,’ ” Quenneville said. “I was more worried about killing the major.”

Tarasenko’s second goal of the series was a wrist shot that banged off the right post and in. Kevin Shattenkirk had a goal and two assists for the Blues, who also got a goal from Chris Porter.

Duncan Keith, Seabrook and Michael Rozsival scored in a span of five shots to put the Blackhawks up 3-2 early in the third. But Seabrook’s penalty proved costly and the Blackhawks got no help from a power play that went 0 for 4 and is 0 for 9 since Seabrook scored on their first chance in Game 1.

Tarasenko made the most of the Blues’ 6-on-4 advantage after pulling goalie Ryan Miller.

Keith’s goal late in the second ended a scoring drought of 119 minutes and 27 seconds for Chicago since a three-goal first period in Game 1. Before Chicago’s rally, Miller stopped 53 consecutive shots.

BLUE JACKETS 4, PENGUINS 3, 2 OT

PITTSBURGH - Matt Calvert banged home a rebound 1:10 into the second overtime and the Columbus Blue Jackets earned the first playoff victory in franchise history with a victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury stuffed the initial shot by Cam Atkinson but Calvert stood all alone at the left post and wristed a shot into the open net to even the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at one game each.

Jack Johnson tied the game with 6:01 left in regulation for the Blue Jackets. Ryan Johansen also scored the first playoff goal of his career for Columbus. Sergei Bobrovsky overcame a shaky start to finish with 39 saves.

Game 3 is Monday in Columbus.

AVALANCHE 4, WILD 2

DENVER - Gabriel Landeskog scored twice and Semyon Varlamov stopped 30 shots, lifting the Colorado Avalanche to a victory over the Minnesota Wild and a 2-0 series lead.

The Wild were unable to contain the quickness of teenager Nathan MacKinnon, who had a goal and three assists. Stastny, the star of Game 1, also had a goal and three assists. His empty-netter sealed the win after Marco Scandella made it a one goal game with 1:19 remaining.

Charlie Coyle also scored early for the Wild.

Game 3 is Monday in Minnesota.

FRIDAY’S LATE GAME DUCKS 3, STARS 2

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and an assist while wearing a face mask over his lacerated jaw, Corey Perry scored his first playoff goal in three years, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Dallas Stars to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series.

Rookie Frederik Andersen made 34 saves in his second postseason start, and Andrew Cogliano scored a short-handed goal in the third period as the Ducks moved halfway to their first series victory since 2009. Anaheim has won just one postseason round since its only Stanley Cup title in 2007.

Kari Lehtonen stopped 16 shots, while Alex Chiasson and Ryan Garbutt scored for the wild-card Stars, who took two one-goal losses to open their first playoff series since 2008.

NHL playoffs glance

FIRST ROUND (Best-of-7)

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Montreal 4, Tampa Bay 1

Detroit 1, Boston 0

Detroit leads series 1-0

Anaheim 3, Dallas 2

Anaheim leads series 2-0

SATURDAY’S GAMES

St. Louis 4, Chicago 3, OT

St. Louis leads series 2-0

Columbus 4, Pittsburgh 3, 2OT

Series tied 1-1

Colorado 4, Minnesota wild 2

Series tied 1-1

TODAY’S GAMES - All times Central

Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers, 11 a.m.

N.Y. Rangers lead series 1-0

Detroit at Boston, 2 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Montreal, 6 p.m.

Montreal leads series 2-0

Los Angeles at San Jose, 9 p.m.

San Jose leads series 1-0

Sports, Pages 28 on 04/20/2014

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