Blackhawks even series with Blues after two key calls

ST. LOUIS – The first two games between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues have shown this playoff series to be every inch the back-breaking chess match it was billed as. And after a contentious Game 2 loss on Friday, Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock was clear about one thing: it isn’t about to get any easier.

“When you’re playing the defending (Stanley Cup) champions, you have to fight through things,” Hitchcock said. “That’s the way it is. Calls aren’t going to go your way, you’re not going to get the officiating you want. It’s always going to seem one-sided. Big deal. Fight through it.”

Welcome to hockey’s Thunderdome, where two of the best teams in the NHL are duking it out in what’s shaping up to be a classic postseason round. In one corner, Hitchcock’s Blues, who have not gotten out of the first round in three consecutive postseasons, against the Blackhawks, who have won three of the past six Stanley Cups.

The Blues took Game 1 in overtime on Wednesday, but were on the losing end of Friday’s 3-2 final for two big reasons: two calls going against them late in the third period. First, there was a go-ahead goal by Vladimir Tarasenko that was brought back after a coach’s challenge determined there was conclusive evidence of him being offside. Then, they lost a another challenge for goaltender interference on Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw’s go-ahead goal.

“We’ve seen offsides a million times but it’s a play where it’s a critical time in the game and you hope (the refs) are 100% sure,” Blues captain David Backes said. “That’s just the way it is; we’re not going to get all the calls and you’re going to get calls you don’t like but we have to continue to play.”

Therein lies the uncomfortable question: For all the well-intentioned procedures the NHL has put in place to ensure the right call is being made, was a pivotal playoff game just decided by referees?

“I’m obviously a biased individual,” Backes said. “The unbiased individual (made the call) and had plenty of time to look (at it). When it goes your way, you love it. When it doesn’t go your way, you think it’s the worst rule ever. It’s one of those things where you want it called right.”

“Offsides is offsides; that’s cut and dry,” winger Ryan Reaves said. “I thought (there) was goalie interference. The refs saw it differently.”

Chicago’s Artemi Panarin scored an empty net goal at 18:34 of the third frame to give the Blackhawks a 3-1 lead, but the Blues never gave up. Blueliner Kevin Shattenkirk battled to tally one more goal with two seconds left, assisted by Backes.

“Without the empty-netter, we get that pressure (at the end) and it could have been another overtime (game),” Backes said. “But it’s a loss, (the series is) 1-1 and we have to put this behind us like we put the win behind us.”

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But Hitchcock maintains the Blues have more than just Chicago on their fight card in this series.

“There’s a lot of things that go (your way) when you’re the defending Cup champions, that’s just the way it is,” Hitchcock said. “They’ve got a lot of information on how to win, and there’s other elements there we’re going to have to fight through. If we’re going to beat them, we’re going to have to be better in a lot of elements and know calls aren’t going to go our way.”

Clarifying his statements with a baseball metaphor (“the tie goes to the runner”), Hitchcock can speak from experience on the matter –  he won a Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999. Which means he also knows what it’s going to take to overcome all the perceived obstacles in St. Louis’ path to the second round.

“We’re going to have to (dig) deeper than even we realized,” he said. “We did play better (tonight). But we’re going to have to go into the blue area...and find second and third opportunities. We’re going to have to dig deeper than any (players) or any coaches have ever dug because we’re not just playing a playoff team; we’re playing a champion. That’s just how it is.

“We’re not dealing with unemotional people. We’re upset, but we’re not going to let it get in the way.”