Photo by: (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
In Duncan Keith’s return from a six-game suspension, the Chicago Blackhawks evened the series at one with a 3-2 win.
Elliott stood tall stopping 26 out of 28 shots faced while Vladamir Tarasenko and Kevin Shattenkirk each added goals in the defeat.
After a scoreless first period, the Blues finally score the series’ first goal in regulation.
Jori Lehtera battled for the puck in the corner with a defender as the puck squirted free behind his legs. Jaden Schwartz was there to pick up the loose puck and feed Tarasenko in the slot. Tarasenko beat Corey Crawford to the glove side making it 1-0 with 4:40 left in the second period.
The Blackhawks looked to get even with the period winding down. Patrick Kane worked the puck back to the blue line as Duncan Keith fired a slap shot through a screen over the shoulder of Elliott for the goal with 3.2 seconds left in the period.
Keith’s goal stopped Elliott’s 109:01 of shutout hockey in the playoffs.
In the third, the Blues appeared to have taken the lead with the game winding down.
Shattenkirk banked the puck off the boards freeing Lehtera into the zone. Lehtera wheeled past Keith and collided with Niklas Hjalmarsson but maintained possession. Hjalmarsson centered the puck to Tarasenko who shot and scored making it 2-1 with 7:46 remaining in regulation.
However, upon a lengthy further review, the officials ruled that Lehtera’s leg was in the air into the zone before the puck entered making the play offsides. Therefore, the call on the ice was no goal keeping the 1-1 tie.
About a minute later, Tarasenko was called for a slashing penalty setting the Blackhawks up for a key power play chance.
Kane held the puck and faked a slap shot before sliding it to Brent Seabrook in the high slot. Elliott made the first stop, but Andrew Shaw collided with Elliott and kept jamming until it found the back of the net giving Chicago a 2-1 lead.
Despite a lot of contact by Shaw with Elliott, the officials ruled it was a good goal even after the Blues challenged.
With about two minutes left Artemi Panarin hit an empty-net goal giving the Blackhawks a comfortable 3-1 lead.
Shattenkirk did score as time expired, but the Blackhawks were able to hang on to a 3-2 victory.
Game three will be in Chicago Sunday April 17 at 2 p.m.
