Blues rally for 5-4 overtime win over Blackhawks

AP Sports Writer

Blues rally for 5-4 overtime win over BlackhawksBy JAY COHEN

CHICAGO (AP) Patrik Berglund scored 3:31 into overtime, and the St. Louis Blues came from behind for a big 5-4 victory over the lowly Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night.

Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Vince Dunn each had a goal and three assists for the Blues, who are trying to rally for a playoff wild card in the Western Conference. Alexander Steen had a goal and an assist, and Vladimir Sobotka also scored.

St. Louis was trailing 4-3 with 1:22 left in regulation when Pietrangelo drove a long slap shot past a screened Jean-Francois Berube for his 15th of the season. Berglund then got the winner when his shot trickled under Berube in OT.

Alex DeBrincat scored three times for last-place Chicago, which has dropped five of six, including its first loss to Buffalo since December 2009 on Saturday. David Kampf also scored, and Berube made 36 saves.

DeBrincat gave the Blackhawks a 4-3 lead when he completed his third career hat trick at 16:47 of the third, beating Jake Allen with a one-timer after a nice pass from Artem Anisimov.

But St. Louis rallied one more time while playing without star forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who leads the team with 27 goals. He is day to day with an upper-body injury after he got hurt in the first period of the Blues’ 4-3 overtime victory against the New York Rangers on Saturday night.

St. Louis also trailed 2-0 after one and 3-2 after a wild conclusion to the second period.

The Blues almost had the go-ahead goal with 1:57 left in the second when Jaden Schwartz’s shot squeezed by Berube and came tantalizingly close to crossing the line before Blackhawks defenseman Jordan Oesterle knocked it back into his goaltender. The on-ice call of no goal was confirmed by a replay review.

Kampf then got a pass from Vinnie Hinostroza and drove to the net for his fourth of the season, making it 3-2 with just 1.4 seconds to go.

The Blackhawks held on to the advantage until Kyle Brodziak and Sobotka hooked up for the tying score 15:24 into the third. Brodziak slid the puck in front from behind the net and Berube lost track of it before Sobotka knocked it in for his 11th of the season.

Chicago jumped in front in the first when DeBrincat scored for the first time since Feb. 17, stopping a 13-game drought. With Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo in the box for slashing, DeBrincat took a pass from Nick Schmaltz and beat Allen on the stick side from the right circle at 13:07.

The rookie winger then picked up his 24th goal with 52 seconds left in the period, muscling one home from the side of the net after he pushed a prime opportunity just wide. It was his fourth multigoal game of the season.

The Blues responded with two power-play goals in the second after beginning the night with one of the worst power-play units in the league.

Dunn was involved in each play. First, he had a big slap shot from the high slot go off Steen and past Berube at 2:02. Then he tied it at 2 with a one-timer from the right circle for his fifth goal at 5:14.

NOTES: It was the first meeting between the teams since St. Louis’ 5-2 victory on Oct. 18. They play two more times during the final week of the regular season. … Blackhawks C Matthew Highmore left in the second period after he was hit by Blues forward Brayden Schenn and went hard into the boards. He skated off with towel on his face for a cut on the side of his mouth. … Chicago coach Joel Quenneville had no update on G Corey Crawford (upper-body injury) and F Anthony Duclair (lower body). Crawford hasn’t played since Dec. 23, but the Blackhawks are leaving open the possibility he could play again this season.

UP NEXT

Blues: Host the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.

Blackhawks: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.

Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap

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