Preview: Blackhawks at Blues

[April 25, 2016]  The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues are no strangers to many elements of the current script, with the former ultimately overcoming a two-game deficit in 2014 to defeat the latter in a hard-hitting first-round playoff series. The reigning Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks look to repeat the feat on Monday night when the bitter Central Division rivals play a winner-take-all Game 7 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo did his best to put a positive spin on the position of the Blues, who are perilously close to being bounced in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season -- despite having home-ice advantage in each series. "We worked 82 games this year to get that home ice," Pietrangelo said after seeing Chicago score five unanswered goals en route to a 6-3 victory in Game 6 on Saturday. "If there's a time to use it, it's right now." The Blackhawks overcame a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate a rival in 2013, having done so versus Detroit in a second-round matchup.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVAS, CSN Chicago

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Although Brent Seabrook scored the overtime goal to oust the Red Wings three years ago, the defenseman isn't taking his team's success for granted heading into Monday's pivotal contest. "I don't think you ever learn how to play in a Game 7," Seabrook told the Chicago Sun-Times. "When you play in more of them, you get — comfortable's not the right word — but you get not as nervous, I guess." Seabrook has recorded at least a point in all four of his previous Game 7s, including a goal to help Chicago oust Anaheim in the 2015 Western Conference final.

ABOUT THE BLUES: Vladimir Tarasenko scored his series-leading fourth goal and 14th in 19 career playoff games on Saturday to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead before the roof caved in. The 24-year-old Russian reportedly was upset after seeing limited time during a power play despite scoring 12 of his career-best 40 goals with the man advantage, but coach Ken Hitchcock told reporters that St. Louis had the puck in the offensive zone and couldn't get Tarasenko on the ice. Veteran Troy Brouwer will play in his seventh consecutive Game 7 on Monday, having competed in one with Chicago in 2011, two with Washington the following year, one in 2013 and two more with the Capitals in 2015.

OVERTIME

1. Chicago captain Jonathan Toews tallied twice in Game 7 versus the Ducks last season, but is still searching for his first goal of this series.

2. The Blues squandered a 2-0 series lead versus Los Angeles in 2013 and another against the Blackhawks the following year.

3. Chicago is 13-4 when facing elimination under the watch of coach Joel Quenneville.

PREDICTION: Blues 3, Blackhawks 2

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