Blues' Backes out for Game 3 against Blackhawks

CHICAGO (AP) — St. Louis Blues center David Backes will miss Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night due to an upper-body injury.

Backes was wiped out by a big hit from Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook in the third period of St. Louis' 4-3 overtime victory Saturday. The captain was helped off the ice and did not return.

While Backes is out, center Patrik Berglund returns after missing three games with an upper-body injury. Berglund was injured in the third period of St. Louis' 3-0 loss at Dallas on April 12. He had 14 goals and 18 assists this season.

Backes, who turns 30 on May 1, had 27 goals and 30 assists in 74 games this year.

"It's a big hole, but I think we're more equipped with Berglund in our lineup," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We're more equipped to handle this than we would have been without Bergie here."

Seabrook received a five-minute major and game misconduct penalty for his hit on Backes. He then was suspended for three games by the NHL.

Sheldon Brookbank replaced Seabrook in the Blackhawks' lineup for Game 3.