(5-8-13) Kings-Blues Gameday Lineup

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- T.J. Oshie didn't shy away from the attention after Game 4.

The Blues' winger was critical of himself in particular following the 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings saying, "Being on the ice for all four of the other team's goals is pretty embarrassing."

Oshie and Patrik Berglund were on the ice for all four, and fellow linemate David Perron was on the ice for three of them (the first Kings goal was scored on a 4-on-4 situation).

With Game 5 slated for 8 p.m. today (FSN, KMOX 1120-AM and NHL Network nationally), look for the trio to have a chip on their shoulders with the series all squared at 2-2.

"We've got to step up our play," Oshie said. "It wasn't like we had a bad, entire game. I think it was four major instances where our reloads weren't right, we were maybe a little aggressive, our routes weren't right. On one, I had a bad stick.

"It's little things, but I think it's just those little things that win you playoff games. It's the little things that LA's doing right now, and that's why they got the last two wins against us."

It would have been natural to think that Blues coach Ken Hitchcock would break up the unit previously known as 'The Kid Line.' But Hitchcock will keep the glue that has upped the play of a line that was strong for three games.

"He's our conscience," Hitchcock said of Oshie. "He's the guy that set the standard of performance. He's disturbed and disappointed that they were on the ice for goals against, odd-man rushes against. He was disappointed by that. I think he knew at the end of the game that when we had the 2-0 lead, we started trying to apply the knockout punch and got caught.

"We've done that a little bit this year and that's just the maturing process of a young team trying to learn how to win against a really good team. I thought that's the one thing we're guilty of. We tried to hit the knockout punch way too early and got caught pushing down, gave up odd-man rushes and let them back in the game. When you give up odd-man rushes on the road, they usually end up in your net. We were just way too aggressive in trying to keep pucks in and that's where I think Osh is disappointed, that they got swept up in the emotion of the game. We gave up the wrong chances to the wrong people."

Despite scoring his first two playoff goals, Oshie -- along with Berglund and Perron -- each finished minus-3 in the game but Hitchcock believes the unit will bounce back.

"I think for us, wherever we put (Oshie), that line plays the right way," Hitchcock said. "When it doesn't, he grabs it right away and gets it to play the right way. That's why Berglund's line, they were terrific in Game 2 and 3, and it wouldn't surprise me if they were good again tonight.

"They had a sub par effort (in Game 4). They know it, and they'll jump back."

- - -

David Backes was a notable absence from Wednesday's morning skate for the Blues, but considering he finished Game 4 Monday, it's likely that Backes took the proverbial "maintenance day" and is likely to play tonight. Alex Steen centered Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko on the top line in Backes' spot.

Of course, Hitchcock wouldn't comment on Backes' status.

- - -

The unit known as the 'CPR Line' of Adam Cracknell, Chris Porter and Ryan Reaves was in tact again Wednesday morning and appears that it will be united once again tonight.

Hitchcock broke it up for Game 4, adding Tarasenko to the mix in place of Cracknell.

Tarasenko only played 5 minutes, 51 seconds in the game and many questioned why he was even used in the first place considering Cracknell and his linemates were playing well. But Hitchcock used the move as a safety blanket.

"I think the ice time thing for me with Vladi, I should have probably pushed him up earlier in the game when the players that we were asking him to cover for because of various ailments, I probably could have gone to earlier because they tired out a little bit, but as far as making that decision, not one bit," Hitchcock said. "He's part of our team. You've got to cover over. When you're not sure on two or three guys that are going to be able to finish the game, you've got to be careful. It's great to finish with a bunch of workers, but if the puck's not part of the game ... last I looked at it, the puck's still part of the game, and he's good that way. We did it as a safety net for us, which I thought was really smart going in.

"The difference in the hockey game wasn't the 'CPR Line.' The difference was we gave up a bunch of odd-man rushes when we had no reason to. That's what led them back in the hockey game. We gave up too many easy scoring chances against top players. When you're looking at (Colin) Fraser on a 3-on-2, you're not sweating bullets. When it's (Jeff) Carter and (Mike) Richards or (Anze) Kopitar and (Dustin) Brown, you're sweating bullets. That's what happened. We gave up the wrong odd-man rushes to the wrong people and they slammed it right in the net."

Crackell wasn't disappointed in the decision to be a healthy scratch. he was more disappointed in the loss.

"It's not tough at all," Cracknell said. "At the end of the day, it's all about the team. Vladi sat out for an extended period of time. Maybe things weren't going right, especially if we're struggling offensively, you want to bring a guy like that in that's maybe a little more hungry. He's a pure goal scorer. If you can get him going, it's a good thing. To lose that one in LA, especially with a lead going into the third, it's a tough thing. ... In the stands, you have no control. It's tough to watch."

- - -

The 'CPR Line' has been a force for the Blues throughout the series, a series that's as physical as advertised. When the series opened here in St. Louis, the unit was punishing, agitating and of course, physical.

They helped push the Kings out of their element of being the aggressors. They'll look to do so again in a game that means taking the series lead.

"I think we kind of take it on ourselves to be the leaders of that department," Reaves said. "Now that we're back together, I think it's crucial for us to get it going early, get it going often and try to get the team to follow suit.

"It's going to be physical. They're going to try and push us out early. We've got the home ice advantage, so they're going to try and take our crowd out of it early. We have to try and get our crowd into it early. It's going to be physical, it's going to be fast, it's going to be fun."

When the Blues, who do get the last change on home ice, get the sense that pushing the Kings back will be necessary, it might be in Hitchcock's best interests to get his police unit on the ice to restore order.

"We see the game turning the other way, we look at each other and we're like, 'We know we need a shift. We know we have to get it deep,'" Cracknell said. "I think we respond to that very well. We respond to the challenge as well. That's what we need. We can't play any other way. We can't be a fancy line or anything like that. We're straight meat-and-potatoes type of line. It works for our benefit if we can do that for our team.

"You look at the series, it's been very physical, especially you're going into Game 5 now. Guys might be starting to get some bumps and bruises. As a line, you want to try and wear down the opposing team. Try and get it down low, maybe get some hits on their 'D,' try and maybe re-aggravate those injuries or bruises. Just try and make them a little more tired. I think you're going to make mistakes when you're tired, so we can try and wear them down. Maybe we can capitalize on that. As a line, just be physical and bring a lot of energy."

That's why the trio is looking forward to creating havoc when needed.

"I think it's going to be the fastest game you're going to see in the series," Reaves said. "This kind of takes the stranglehold. It's a best-of-3 now and you always want to be in the position where you only need one more win to win the series.

"I think once we get our opportunity to get out there when they give their push, that's definitely got to be our focus, to kind of take that game back over and make sure we get the crowd back into it, kind of take them out of it if they get a little momentum, try and swing it around a little bit."

Hitchcock wasn't forthcoming on Cracknell's availability, sticking to the vest as far as personnel decisions.

- - -
The Blues' projected lineup:

Jaden Schwartz-David Backes-Alexander Steen

Andy McDonald-Vladimir Sobotka-Chris Stewart

David Perron-Patrik Berglund-T.J. Oshie

Adam Cracknell-Chris Porter-Ryan Reaves

Jay Bouwmeester-Alex Pietrangelo

Jordan Leopold-Kevin Shattenkirk

Barret Jackman-Roman Polak

Brian Elliott starts in goal; Jaroslav Halak is the backup.
Healthy scratches are expected to include Kris Russell, Ian Cole, Vladimir Tarasenko, Scott Nichol, Jake Allen and Dmitrij Jaskin. Jamie Langenbrunner (hip) remains on injured reserve.

- - -

The Kings' projected lineup:

Dustin Brown-Anze Kopitar-Justin Williams

Dwight King-Mike Richards-Jeff Carter

Dustin Penner-Jarret Stoll-Trevor Lewis

Kyle Clifford-Colin Fraser

Robyn Regehr-Drew Doughty

Jake Muzzin-Slava Voynov

Rob Scuderi-Alec Martinez

Keaton Ellerby

Jonathan Quick is in goal; Jonathan Bernier is the backup.

Healthy scratches are  expected to be Brad Richardson, Jordan Nolan and Tyler Toffoli. Willie Mitchell (knee) remains on season-ending injured reserve. Matt Greene (lower-body) is not ready to return.

Blues, Kings down to mini series

Pivotal Game 5 to be played at Scottrade Center; St. Louis has won

eight straight at home, isn't lacking confidence after losing 2-0 series lead

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Every game has been decided by one goal. Both teams feel like they could have won all four.

This is how tight the series between the Blues and Los Angeles Kings has gone.

The Blues had the early momentum by winning the first two at Scottrade Center. The Kings grabbed it back with a pair of victories in Games 3 and 4 at Staples Center.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

T.J. Oshie celebrates one of his two goals Monday night in L.A.

It sets up the pivotal Game 5 back in St. Louis Wednesday night (8 p.m. on FSN, KMOX 1120-AM) where the Blues have won eight in a row and the Kings having lost eight straight on the road. On the flip side, the defending Stanley Cup champs have won nine in a row at home.

So what can be made of the series so far? It's everything everyone cooked it up to be.

"It's been like, 'Who's got control of anything right now?,'" Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "They got momentum off the game (Monday). I don't think they got momentum off of Game 3. We probably deserved a better fate in (Game) 3, but they took the game (Monday). They were better than we were. They won a lot of puck battles that we'd been winning before. They dialed it up. There's another level out there. It's our job now to answer the level.

"We got home ice, we've earned it. It's a best-of-3 now. We'll see where it goes. It's been very intense, hard hockey. They went up in a gear (Monday) that we're going to have to find an answer for."

Kings coach Darryl Sutter agreed with Hitchcock's assessment that nobody's got control of anything yet.

"There hasn't been much difference in the games whether it's home or road," Sutter said. "It's all one-goal games and they're all third-period games and you just go shift by shift."

The Blues, who took Games 1 and 2 both by 2-1 scores, have to be a bit shaken after coming away with a 1-0 Game 3 loss, then squandering 2-0 and 3-2 leads in Game 4, only to see the Kings win with a two-goal third period 4-3.

But if their confidence is shaken at all, they're not showing it.

"I don't think our confidence is shaken here," defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. "If anything, we're just disappointed with what happened (Monday night) because we know we could have done better. We know we could have responded better to it and I think we've shown it in three games. It's not like we don't know what we have to do to get back to the right way."

Added defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.

"Yeah, to think we’re not confident is ... not a very good statement," Pietrangelo said. "We were up 2-0 in the series, we were up 2-0 in the game (Monday). We know what we’ve got to do. We’ve just got to find a way to play. We didn’t get blown out. A lot of positive things to build on."

David Backes and T.J. Oshie, who scored twice in the game, spotted the Blues a 2-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. It was the kind of start the Blues were looking for, the kind that they were maybe lacking in Game 3. But then the mistakes came, the Kings pushed back and got the Blues on their heels.

"It's a tough game out there," Backes said. "I just think that there were some plays we were hesitating a little bit on, or we were leaning a bit too much on the offensive side after we scored two. With their firepower and their skill up front, you can't give them too many extra opportunities or they'll make you pay, and they did.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Patrik Berglund (21) and teammates celebrate a goal by the

Blues Monday night in Los Angeles. They will look to bounce

back in Game 5 Wednesday in St. Louis.

"We’ve got some soul-searching to do, look in the mirror and bring a better effort and more composed effort when we get home on Wednesday."

One thing is certain, and that is the Kings found another level. It's up to the Blues to try and match it and overtake it.

"They just got a gear," Hitchcock said of the Kings. "They got a gear that they know how to get to. That's what championship teams do. It's our job to answer it."

Now it comes down to a mini series.

"We're in a good position still," defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said. "You just approach it now like it's a three-game series. Don't get too far ahead of yourself."

Kings tie series by rallying past Blues 4-3

St. Louis can't hold early two-goal lead; series becomes a best-of-3

By LOUIE KORAC
LOS ANGELES -- The Blues and Los Angeles Kings set the precedent for the lowest scoring series of the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The teams combined for seven goals in three games and space has been limited.

Monday night in Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, the teams opened the scoring gates, and after the Blues got the first two-goal lead of the series, the Kings came roaring back to make this a best-of-3 series.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

The Blues' Vladimir Sobotka (17), here battling the Kings' Mike Richards,

assisted on two goals in a 4-3 loss in Game 4 Monday night.

Los Angeles overcame a 2-0 deficit, then a 3-2 third-period deficit on goals by Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams 1 minute, 16 seconds apart as the Kings evened the best-of-7 series with the Blues with a 4-3 victory Monday night before 18,334 at Staples Center.

Despite a two-goal effort from T.J. Oshie, the Blues -- for the first time in the series -- were pushed out of the competition from a Kings team determined to make this a short series.

They did. After the Blues led 4:32 into the first period, it was all downhill from there, even after the Blues led after 40 minutes.

"I think it was just a continuation of the second period to be honest with you," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "They took the game to another level. Tonight we didn't have an answer."

"You want a two-goal lead any playoff game you can get it," said defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who assisted on Oshie's power play goal that made it 2-0. "We did a great job of coming out. I think we just took our foot off the gas a little bit. I think we maybe just thought it was going to come a little easier for the rest of the game. With an experienced team like that, they're not going to quit. They're able to get two goals, it's a long game and we just have to keep that pressure on at that point."

The teams combined for seven goals in 186 minutes, 34 seconds of play before Monday and got four in the first period tonight.

The Blues were looking for more offense and they got it early, scoring the first two goals with Backes putting them ahead and Oshie adding to it.

Backes was able to convert into an empty net when Jay Bouwmeester's shot came off the back boards and around the right side. Backes caught Jonathan Quick out of net and fired into an open side just 1 minute, 12 seconds into the game on the Blues' first shot. Vladimir Sobotka made the play initially when he slipped past a Kings player and got the puck to Bouwmeester.

Oshie helped the Blues snap their 0-for-12 slide on the power play when he redirected Kevin Shattenkirk's shot from the top of the left circle 4:32 into the game for a 2-0 lead and the first two-goal lead by either team in the series.

Game over right?

Hardly.

The Blues started making the kind of mistakes that would drive a coach crazy. Both Kings goals by Jeff Carter and Dustin Penner were the biproduct of odd-man rushes.

After Oshie failed to get a puck in deep in a 4-on-4 situation, Mike Richards and Carter went in on a 2-on-1 after Barret Jackman fell down near center ice. Richards saucered a pass to Carter, who slid a backhand five-hole through Brian Elliott at 9:33 to make it 2-1.

"Bad bounce, but you’ve got to bear down, you’ve got to get it in," Oshie said.

Then the Blues had the puck in the offensive zone, and Jordan Leopold took a gamble and pinched in along the boards, missed the puck and the Kings sprung out on a 3-on-1, with Penner converting a Jarret Stoll pass over Elliott at 14:30 to tie it 2-2.

"You look at it system-wise, we weren't real sharp tonight," Leopold said. "I thought I'd get the puck and it didn't work out that way. You're going to have nights like that. We've got to bounce back here.

"There's definitely decisions on the ice that you'd like to get back, but that's the name of the game. We tried to recover from mistakes and make the best of it, but it is a game of mistakes and they were fortunate enough to be able to capitalize on them."

"We made two mistakes, two really poor mistakes to give them odd-man rushes to get them back in the game," Hitchcock said. "But even when it's 3-2, they were playing better than we were. We grabbed it for a little while for seven minutes or so in the third, did an OK job ... didn't manage the puck very well really in the second and the third period at all and paid for it dearly."

Backes agreed.

"Yeah, a lot of the turnovers in the neutral zone fed their offense," he said. "To have a couple of guys pinch in, give them a 2-on-0 and a 3-on-1 when we're up 2-0 there in the first, that’s not how you protect a lead. King of hung Ells out to dry."
Oshie got his second of the game when he followed to the net and collected Sobotka's one timer after getting a pass from Patrik Berglund. Quick stopped Sobotka's blast, but Oshie found the rebound and flipped a shot from a sharp angle past Quick 5:46 into the second as the Blues regained the lead.

But that's when the Blues seemed to curl up and try to run and hide from the heaviest of competition. The Kings were punishing and relentless in the third period.

They got Kopitar's tying goal, his first since March 25 (19 games), when initially, Roman Polak threw a puck from the Blues' zone off the center ice boards. The Kings quickly gained possession, got it back into the Blues' zone and Dustin Brown was able to elude both Oshie and Bouwmeester and fed Kopitar, who got past Berglund and popped a one-timer from the slot past Elliott at 7:14 to tie it 3-3.

Williams redirected Mike Richards' shot from the half wall past Elliott at 8:30 to give the Kings a 4-3 lead, their first of the night and one they wouldn't relinquish.

The Blues were 19-2-0 in games which they led after two periods during the regular season.

"That was tough," Shattenkirk said. "We knew they were going to come. We have to be much better there. We have to be able to respond to it. If we want to grow as a playoff team and be successful in the future here, those are the situations that we have to start bearing down, especially as a team that's been through it before, we have to know that that's coming."

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Jaden Schwartz (9) and the Blues will have to regroup in Game 5 after

falling 4-3 in Los Angeles against the Kings Monday night.

The Blues went without a shot until 8:49 remaining when Chris Porter was finally able to wake up Quick at the other end. Backes had the best chance to tie it with three minutes to play when Andy McDonald sent a blind backhand into the crease, but the puck got caught a bit in Backes' skate and he couldn't lift a puck over Quick.

"Yeah, hit me in the skates and then was rolling a little bit, I just tried to chip it over him," Backes said. "It's tough to get a ton of wood on that, but that's the way the puck rolls sometimes.

"We shouldn't have to wait until two minutes left in the game to try a desperation play when we got into the third (leading) 3-2. We get hemmed in our zone and not have any relief the guys back there. Just a little disappointing with the all around resort, but I think we’ve got a little more to give around here."

Despite the two goals, Oshie, Berglund and David Perron were all minus-3 in the game and aside from Perron not being on the ice for Carter's 4-on-4 goal, they were on the ice for all the Kings' goals. Polak was on the ice for three of them.
 
"I think we started trying to make some cute plays at the blueline," Oshie said. "I'll speak for my line when I say we were good at times and we were terrible at other times. I could have single-handedly prevented three of their goals. I'm probably to blame for those three. Being on the ice for all four of the other team's goals is pretty embarrassing."

(5-6-13) Blues-Kings Gameday Lineup

By LOUIE KORAC
LOS ANGELES -- One thing that's been determined in this Western Conference Quarterfinals series between the Blues and Los Angeles Kings: the real estate is in limited quantity.

With a grand total of seven goals scored in the first three games of the series, Monday night's Game 4 shouldn't see goals scored in droves.

The Kings have certainly done their job by limiting the Blues to four goals in the series, but the Blues' stinginess goes back to when the team went on this current 14-4-0 run. In 18 games, the Blues have allowed 25 goals, or an average of 1.39 goals per game. Take away two of those games in which they've allowed nine goals, the Blues are allowing 16 goals in 16 games, or one per contest. That one goal per game falls right in line with the three goals the Blues have surrendered in this series as well but only lead it 2-1.

Goaltending (mainly Brian Elliott) will get most of the pub; the defensive side will also get noticed, especially since the additions of Jordan Leopold and Jay Bouwmeester, but the Blues rely on all three aspects of their defensive strategy: goaltending, shutdown defensemen and forwards buying into the defensive mentality.

"Even when you're in the offensive zone, you're setting yourself up to play defense," veteran Blues forward Andy McDonald said. "You're making sure you have a high guy, a third guy high to prevent an odd-man rush. When they get control of the puck, you're positioning yourself to play defense. Playing defense is completely a five-man unit and obviously the goaltender. ... You have to be a part of that. Even if you're an offensive player and score goals, you certainly have to buy in and be a part of the program and focus on the defense first and realize that this is the formula that they've set up for us to follow."

From a Blues defenseman's standpoint, they certainly appreciate the support.

"It's started from the offensive zone," Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. "We've done a great job of back-checking by our forwards, not really allowing them to sort of get any sort of transition rushes and when the puck does get in our zone, as defensemen we're doing a tremendous job of first touches, making quick plays, not allowing them to check us and force turnovers. That's allowed us to get right back on offense quickly."

However, in this Blues-Kings series, good luck trying to find the necessary real estate to make plays.

"Both teams compete on the puck and for the puck so hard," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "That's why there's no room out there. They compete on the puck offensively, they compete on the puck defensively. There's just no room. ... There's no room out there because, not that both teams aren't committed to defense, both teams are committed to hard play. When your teams are built that way, this is ice by the inch and you're going to have to find a way to fight through it because if you're looking for space in a series like this, you aren't going to find it."

The Blues have done a nice job of limiting the offense that the Kings stalwarts of Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Justin Williams, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards have been able to produce.

The five have a combined four points (two goals, two assists) in three series.

"They've got a lot of balance. Even (Jarret) Stoll and their group," Blues defenseman Barret Jackman said of the Kings. "The fourth line was huge for them last year, too. You have to be aware of everybody, play everybody just as hard Obviously Kopitar and Williams and Brown, those guys are a little more dynamic, but you just have to be aware at all times and work as a unit.

"It's definitely stifling defense. The team that sticks with it the longest doesn't get frustrated and takes advantage of the opportunities will win."

- - -

The Blues will enter Game 4 with one lineup change, as rookie Vladimir Tarasenko, a healthy scratch for the first three games, draws into the lineup and will replace Adam Cracknell.

"I think he saw the level of intensity, he understands it and he's been a good player," Hitchcock said of Tarasenko, who played 38 regular season games. "Until the [concussion], he'd a very good player. He came back from the injury a little tentative from the injury and I think when you have a player that contributes like he does and is strong on the puck and determined as he is and as big as he is, he's an asset that we can use. So for me, get up to the competitive level.

"I had a talk with him [Sunday], he's excited to play. I think he deserves to play based on his regular season. He can play left or right, and he certainly gives us some options moving forward if the game gets as close as it does."

Tarasenko, who sat on the bench and talked with Hitchcock during practice Sunday, is eager.

"Excited to make my playoff debut," Tarasenko said after the morning skate. "I love to play with these players."

- - -

Hitchcock paid the ultimate praise upon center Patrik Berglund Monday afternoon. Although Berglund has only a goal to show in the series, he's a plus-2 and has been using every inch of his 6-foot-4, 217-pound frame.

"This is as well as he's played since I've coached him," Hitchcock said of Berglund. "He's at the top of his game right now. This is as hard as I've ever seen him compete, as determined as I've ever seen him play. He's got vision on the ice, he's playing terrific right now. I just hope he keeps it up."

Berglund, who just completed his fifth season, looks forward to gaining a split here in L.A. and put the Blues in line to clinch Wednesday in St. Louis.

"Every game is important and huge, but obviously if we can get a (win) in here, it's obviously a really good favor for us," said Berglund, who had 17 goals in 48 regular season games after having only 19 in 82 games a season ago. "I think we all feel and see how important this game is.

"I think we've been doing a good job. We haven't let in a whole lot of goals, Ells has been playing great, also the defense has been good. It's our scoring that obviously needs to get much better. We're planning on changing that."

- - -

Hitch continues to fire playful barbs at his counterpart, Kings coach Darryl Sutter, this time in reference to the spat that occurred at the end of Sunday's game between Montreal coach Michel Therrien and Ottawa coach and former Blue Paul MacLean.

Hitchcock entered the press room and offered the following:

"(I) understand Mister Sutter is thinking it's going to be Montreal-Ottawa here, him and I left on the bench ... I don't like my chances," Hitchcock joked.

Earlier in the series in St. Louis, when Hitchcock was asked to compare he and Sutter in terms of coaching, he joked: "In the summer, he talks to cows and I talk to golfers."

Of course, the Sutter family are known to be avid farmers and have a farm in Viking, Alberta.

- - -

The Blues' probable lineup:

Jaden Schwartz-David Backes-Alexander Steen

Andy McDonald-Vladimir Sobotka-Chris Stewart

David Perron-Patrik Berglund-T.J. Oshie

Vladimir Tarasenko-Chris Porter-Ryan Reaves

Jay Bouwmeester-Alex Pietrangelo

Jordan Leopold-Kevin Shattenkirk

Barret Jackman-Roman Polak

Brian Elliott starts in goal; Jaroslav Halak is the backup.

Healthy scratches include Kris Russell, Ian Cole, Adam Cracknell, Scott Nichol, Jake Allen and Dmitrij Jaskin. Jamie Langenbrunner (hip) remains on injured reserve.

- - -

The Kings' probable lineup will remain the same as Game 3, which includes seven defensemen:

Dustin Brown-Anze Kopitar-Justin Williams

Dwight King-Mike Richards-Jeff Carter

Dustin Penner-Jarret Stoll-Trevor Lewis

Kyle Clifford-Colin Fraser

Robyn Regehr-Drew Doughty

Jake Muzzin-Slava Voynov

Rob Scuderi-Alec Martinez

Keaton Ellerby

Jonathan Quick is in goal; Jonathan Bernier is the backup.

Healthy scratches will be Brad Richardson, Jordan Nolan and Tyler Toffoli. Willie Mitchell (knee) remains on season-ending injured reserve. Matt Greene (lower-body) is not ready to return.

(5-6-13) BLUES NOTEBOOK

Blues not dwelling on squandered chances; Schwartz OK; Hitch mum on lineup

By LOUIE KORAC
LOS ANGELES -- The Blues had the majority of their team on the ice for a brisk skate Sunday at Staples Center on the heels of a tough loss in Game 3 to the Los Angeles Kings Saturday night.

The Kings' 1-0 victory did not come without some missed golden opportunities for the Blues to lay a serious stranglehold in the series. But as they prepare for Monday's Game 4 (9 p.m. on FSN, KMOX 1120-AM), the Blues will not dwell on the lost opportunities of Game 3 but rather look ahead of doing more of the same things, but finishing what they started.

"I think everybody saw that we had good chances to score not one but a couple goals," said center Patrik Berglund, one of a number of regulars who skated Sunday. "Still, it's up to us to put the puck in. ... I think everyone's got to keep going and have a good feeling. We're playing with them, we're doing a good job getting the chances. We've got to keep going at it and they will come.

"We can still get more, but I think we've had some real good chances every game. When we get in on the forecheck too, we're creating a lot of chances."

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock liked the effort, not the result.

"I think I'm sour at losing like anyone would be," Hitchcock said. "I thought we absorbed a lot of blows early in the first period. They came at us hard, and then I thought we really played well. We played well in the second and third period.

"I don't know if it was missed opportunities or unlucky or whatever, but I think it's two teams with not much difference in their games right now. I'm sure they felt the same after Game 2. They had lots of good looks in Game 2 and then we absorbed some blows. They came back in the third period. The series is what it is. It's just great hockey played by two teams pouring everything they've got into it. Who knows where it's going to go? ... I don't see either team giving in much right now."

Some of the terrific chances at goals came from David Backes (a shorthanded breakaway in the first and a one-timer stopped by Kings netminder Jonathan Quick in the second), Andy McDonald (a whiffed attempt on a rebound of Chris Stewart's shot in the second), Alexander Steen (missing an open net in the slot during the second period) and Jordan Leopold (missed the net on a third-period breakaway and the Kings' Justin Williams poking the puck away in the waning seconds of an empty side of the goal).

But as winger T.J. Oshie put it, worry about what you can control anymore and not what you can't.

"I think those guys just need to let those go because the tighter they grab their sticks, the more it's going to fumble on us and the more we're going to miss the net in situations," Oshie said. "I think we can take a lot away from yesterday that were positives. The major thing we've got to do is have a better first period."

However, for a team that's not accustomed to scoring a lot,

"I don't think we're a team that gets that many chances so it was weird to get those and not score on them," Blues winger David Perron said. "I don't know if it's because we're not used to it in our style of play obviously is more on preventing the other team to get scoring chances rather than trying to get as many as we can. It's definitely weird and guys probably aren't used to it. Maybe that's what happened there, and if we get the chance, we've got to put it home."

With the chances the Blues did generate, one feels good that the puck will eventually go in at some point Monday night.

"It's a one-goal game and we certainly generated enough chances in the game," forward Andy McDonald said regarding Game 3. "They're a tough team. I think we're a little down in here on ourselves, but reality is they're playing hard, too. They do the same things and want to do all the same things we do. The teams are similar. ... You can say we're a little unlucky. There were a couple opportunities where the puck was right there (and) we don't bury it. That's the difference a lot of times. We had our fair share if not more than they did. ... Hopefully we can get a little bit more upbeat about tomorrow and not so down about the last (game)."

* Schwartz OK -- Blues rookie Jaden Schwartz, who took a spill in the third period of Saturday's loss and reportedly hobbled off the ice, was back at the rink Sunday and participated in Sunday's drills.

Schwartz, who has taken a role on the top line with Backes and Steen, skated fluently and without reservation Sunday and looks like will be fine enough to play Monday.

"Everyone's going to get a little banged up eventually, but it's a hard-fought series," Schwartz said. "It was tough again last night. It was good to go for a skate today, feels a little bit better, but I feel fine."

Hitchcock said his lineup from Saturday is still in tact.

"I think we're healthy," he said. "We got everybody that played last game available to us, so we'll just see from there."

* Tarasenko close to return? -- Rookie Vladimir Tarasenko, a healthy scratch for the first three games of the series, could very well re-enter the lineup for Monday's Game 4.

With the Blues having only scored four goals in three games, getting a boost from a rested Tarasenko could provide an offensive spark.

However, Hitchcock wouldn't divulge any lineup changes, if any, for Monday.

"I haven't gotten that far yet. That's tomorrow's decision," Hitchcock said. "I'll have to sleep on a lot of that stuff just to see what we need.

"He looks hungry and ready to play. I'm sure he's going to play well when he gets in, but you're not really sure if you want to screw around with the lineup right now when we're playing so well either, so I've got to balance that out right now."

During Sunday's skate, Hitchcock pulled Tarasenko off the ice and sat with him on the visitor's bench. It was a good opportunity to pick Tarasenko's brain a bit and see what he's learned about playoff hockey.

"That's why I talked to him today. I wanted to know what he learned, and he was right on the mark," Hitchcock said. "I said, 'What's the difference? What do you see?' Then I asked him about a couple players on our team and what he sees in their games. He's very astute. He's right on the mark. His evaluation was right on the mark. That's what I wanted to see was how much he had to observe, what he saw, what he thought he saw, how it would fit into his game and stuff like that."

* Tight-knit series -- How tight has the Blues-Kings series been? Well consider that the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders have also played three games. The two teams have combined to score 11 goals in the first period alone. It would equal the equivalent of one game.

The Blues and Kings have combined to score seven goals ... in three-plus games.

Even though chances have been had by both sides, goals have been tough to come by.

"We're two teams that play a defensive style to begin with," Blues winger David Perron said. "I think on both sides, we've been getting chances that we don't put in. That's why it's such a weird series so far, yet we're up 2-1. But it could be the other way around right now.

"We've just got to keep playing through it, and on some of the certain chances that we get, we've got to put them in. Yesterday there were at least four or five that have got to be in, no question."

Added Oshie: "We're not going 3-on-2 back and forth. We're going 5-on-5 down the ice. We expected this, but we're getting our chances. It just comes down to burying them. Hopefully that will open up the doors a little bit."

The Blues' Brian Elliott (0.93 goals-against average with a .962 save percentage) and the Kings' Jonathan Quick (1.22 GAA, .959 save percentage) have had plenty to say about the low-scoring series but the teams with the lowest shots against in the Western Conference simply don't give up much in quality opportunities either.

"We're both teams that work very hard defensively," Schwartz said. "Both have great goaltending. I didn't know what to expect. I guess you never know when playoff time comes, but teams that don't give up a whole lot in their net and teams that take pride in their defense, that's the main focus on both teams. I'm not surprised to see the low scores.

"We're getting shots. There's no doubt about that, but you want to make sure they're quality shots. You want to make sure you're shooting with a purpose, you're getting traffic on net. You might get a little unlucky at times, but I think we can generate a little more as far as getting traffic."

Blues' plan to distrupt Quick: take his ice away

Kings' netminder one of most aggressive at taking shooters' angles

By LOUIE KORAC
LOS ANGELES -- The Blues saw firsthand how effective Jonathan Quick was during last season's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

 

The Los Angeles Kings' goalie allowed only six goals in a four-game sweep of the Blues in the Western Conference Semifinals. Quick went on to win the Conn Smythe Trophy and helped the Kings franchise to its first-ever Stanley Cup.

And even though the Blues have a 2-1 series lead over the Kings this year in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, Quick has been as good as advertised again despite laying blame on himself in losses of Games 1 and 2 in St. Louis.
 

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Jonathan Quick (left) kicks out the right pad on a one-timer by the Blues'

David Backes during Saturday's game.

"He's a tough goalie to play against," Blues wing T.J. Oshie said of Quick after Sunday's practice at Staples Center. "He proved it last year obviously, and he's doing a good job of it this year."

Quick is 1-2 with a 1.25 goals-against average and .959 save percentage, which is good for third in the playoffs among starting goaltenders. Only his counterpart [the Blues' Brian Elliott] and Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals pose greater numbers. So as the Blues work on trying to gain a split in L.A. and keep the Kings from evening the series Monday night, they'll keep trying to throw more bodies Quick's way and keep him contained in his crease. After all, no goalie in the League challenges shooters and cuts down angles quite like Quick does.

"With an aggressive goalie like him, one thing we've got to do is get in front of him just to keep him in the crease, but I think we're doing a pretty good job of that," Oshie said. "I think more so, we're over-attacking on our net-drives at times to where we're beating their d-men to the net, but the rebounds are kicking out behind us. With a goalie that comes out so far, the rebounds aren't laying around in the crease. They're laying around on the hash marks.

"We had plenty of chances on rebounds for goals [Saturday] night. I think it just comes down to burying them. I think if we pop one there, it's a little different story. We had a couple roll off guys' sticks, a couple bounce on us. I think we're doing a great job getting to the net. We're getting a lot of shots there. A little more traffic maybe, but I think more so just smarter net-drives."

The Blues were unable to score on the plethora of scoring chances they got and Quick was able to withstand all 30 Blues' shots in a 1-0 victory in Game 3.

One player who has seemed to get under Quick's skin is David Perron, who drew an extra penalty on the Kings' Drew Doughty after another collision with the Kings' netminder. Perron and Quick have had their little spats the entire season, a ploy Perron thinks is one good way of disrupting Quick's concentration.

"This goalie is probably the guy that has our number the most in the league, and that's why we've got to get to him as much as we can and drive to the net," Perron said. "He's getting [upset] in there and hopefully we can score a couple on him.

 

"I think there's a few times I got in there, he was starting to get frustrated and we need guys to do that and taking penalties on us. We got some power plays on that [Saturday] and I think that part of our game was maybe a little better. That could be a difference in a game."

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock wouldn't call Quick an unorthodox goalie, just one that is relentless.

"I don't think he's unorthodox. I think he's not big and he plays to his strengths, and I think they play well around him," Hitchcock said of Quick and the Kings. "They take away any second opportunities knowing that he can make the first save.

"I don't think he's unorthodox. I think he's very athletic. I think his best strength is he never gives up on a shot. You've got to put it through the net if you're going to beat him. I think they make a lot of plays around him that prevent it from going in because they box out well and you're going to have to fight a little harder for more space if you're going to score on those second opportunities."

(St. Louis Blues photo)

The Kings' Jonathan Quick (32) has seen enough of the Blues' David

Perron (middle) during their playoff series. Perron drew an extra minor

penalty from Drew Doughty (8) on this play.

When asked if he's seen a goalie play quite like Quick does, Oshie said: "Not since we were younger when the goalies were so small, they had to come out that far. The one thing that helps him is how strong he is on pushing, he can come out that far because he's strong enough to recover to the other side. ... We're getting our chances. I think it just comes down to us burying them."
 
Andy McDonald, who had one of those high-percentage scoring chances in the second period Saturday night, calls Quick one of a kind.

"It's his own style," McDonald said. "I don't know if there's another guy in the league that plays like that, so aggressive. There's things that we can do to try and get him to back up a little bit, but I think just kind of stick to the same game plan and do the things we were doing in getting pucks to the net and the things you always hear, they're real important. I think it's not a question of we're not generating enough offense. It's just that last touch around the net that's the difference.

"I think if we can get to the front of the net and take that ice away where he likes to be, that will obviously keep him back, but it's a tough thing to do. The game's so fast and you have to go side-to-side to get to that position. You want to have somebody in front, but to go in there with the idea that you're going to disrupt him, it's more about getting to the net and perhaps getting a stick on a puck and getting the position away from the defenseman so you don't get boxed out. He does a good job of moving laterally, getting out and challenging the shot."

Missed chances cost Blues in Game 3 loss to Kings

Failing to cash in on chances costly; St. Louis

falls to Los Angeles 1-0, series lead cut to 2-1

By LOUIE KORAC
LOS ANGELES -- It was a chance to get a firm stranglehold on the series and put the defending Stanley Cup champs on the brink of elimination.

But what the Blues did -- or did not do -- was put the Los Angeles Kings right back in this series, and they have nobody to blame but themselves.

The Blues showed up to a gun battle in Saturday's pivotal Game 3 at Staples Center, but they forgot to bring their bullets. More times than not, they wound up firing blanks, and in the end, it cost them a game that was there to be had.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

The Blues' David Backes (42) fires a backhand shot wide of Kings

goalie Jonathan Quick as Drew Doughty (8) trails the play Saturday.

Slava Voynov's in the second period was all the Kings would need to cut the Western Conference Quarterfinals to a 2-1 series as Jonathan Quick stopped all 3 shots he faced in a 1-0 Los Angeles win.

Game 4 is Monday night at Staples Center and will allow the Kings a chance to even the series at 2-2 or will the Blues gain the split and go back home for Game 5 with the chance to clinch?

The Blues could have put themselves in a good spot to clinch on Monday had they just been able to put away some of the golden opportunities they created but were unable to finish.

"We had our opportunities," Blues winger Alexander Steen said. "The power play, we had some 5-on-5 chances ... we've got to bury them. We've got to start making them pay for their mistakes. Today we didn't.

"I think we got our fair share of chances. We've just got to be a little bit more determined. We've got to find a way to score. Tonight, I didn't think it was Quick. I thought it was us. I thought we had our chances and we've got to start putting them away.

David Backes had the first big chance for the Blues, after he picked off a shorthanded opportunity, went in on Quick. It appeared that Drew Doughty got a stick in and slashed Backes, but he just misfired on a backhand midway through the first.

"I was all the way around him and got too far ahead of myself," Backes said of Quick.

Quick did make a sharp stop on Backes' one-timer from the left dot on a power play chance, kicking out the right pad with 17:51 left in the second.

"One of those things, you've just got to concentrate, bear down and put it through the back of the net," Backes said. "We had our chances and didn't capitalize. They get a greasy one and it's the difference in the game. Another one-goal, hard-fought battle that we're right there."

The Kings got some sustained pressure around Elliott, and Voynov scored his first of the series and second career playoff goal when he converted a shot from inside the right dot after a mad scrum in front of Brian Elliott, who stopped 20 shots.

The Kings threw a puck into the crease, and Elliott was able to keep a couple away from the net; he tried to cover it up but with multiple bodies in the play, Elliott was never able to cover it up and keep it alive until Voynov snapped it off the left post 4:56 into the second period for a 1-0 Kings lead.

"I had it for a bit and they didn't blow the whistle," Elliott said. "It was just a scramble, have to watch it on tape. It's just one of those plays that it's just a battle at the net and a lot of those are going to happen. Unfortunately we didn't come up with that one.

"(The official) probably didn't see it for a while. I don't know if he knew I had it. ... I didn't really see anybody have it (once it got to Voynov). Just try to make yourself big."

The Blues could have easily had a lead going into the third period but saw Andy McDonald whiff on a rebound in front after Chris Stewart's shot with 12:50 left in the second, and Alexander Steen fired high on an open net after getting a cross-ice feed with 6:47 left in the period.

"No, it's just when I catch it, I go to lift it, as I go to lift, I look up, the puck just gets away from me a little bit," Steen said. "... We knew it was going to be hard. I thought today, we definitely had our chance to win it and didn't take advantage of that. We've got to come back at them in Game 4 here, same determination and just be a little bit more crisper around the net."

Defenseman Jordan Leopold then stepped up to the plate and had his moment to tie the game, but like the rest of his teammates, he came up empty.

Leopold skated in alone on Quick and tried to wire a wrister top corner with 4:44 remaining but missed the net.

"I was trying to pick a corner," Leopold said. "I don't know if I missed the net, if it hit (Quick). I lost sight of it when I let go of it. ... It's disappointing we didn't put any on the board. We've got to get back to work here in a couple days.

"We didn't cash in on our opportunities. We definitely had plenty. I know I had one there. It's unfortunate, but we've got to turn the page and get ready for the next game here."

The Blues couldn't punch one home like the Kings did in Game 1 to force overtime. They were left wondering if they allowed one to slip away.

"I thought we really played well from, I guess five minutes gone from the second period all the way to the end," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "I thought we played well. You're going to get that in the playoffs. We've just got to come back, find a way to out-work the goalie. I thought we did a lot of good things, we created a lot of turnovers, but we didn't sustain the pressure. I think we got a lot of really good original shots. I'm not sure we got as many second and third shots as we're going to need to out-work this guy.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

The Blues' Chris Stewart (right) goes to backhand a shot against Kings

goalie Jonathan Quick Saturday night at Staples Center.

"I thought we were ... more than anything today unlucky. We had a lot of chances, bang bang plays that went through them and went out the other side. I thought today... there's sometimes where the goalie out-works you and ge out-battles you. Today I thought we were unlucky. We could have really scored a lot of goals, especially in the second period."

And the message to the team after wards?

"Get some rest, let's go back at them. We knew what we're in for. I'm sure they felt like they deserved Game 2, and we thought we deserved Game 3. So the series is at where it's at. It's probably accurate where it's at right now.

"It is a helluva battle, and it won't be any different on Monday. There's not much difference between the two teams, both goalies are on top of their games. Our guy was great again tonight, their guy was a little bit better. For us, we have to find a way to take advantage, especially on the road. We're not going to get very many games like this where you'requality chances on the road. We're going to have to find a way to finish some of these off."