"Saved our season," Keith said.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks were facing
elimination in Game Five of their opening-round playoff series
against the Blues before Kane decided he was not ready for their
season to end.
Kane, who had not scored a goal in the first four games of the
series after scoring 46 in the regular season, finally broke that
drought when he decked through the slot and flipped a shot on goal
that Brian Elliott got a piece of to knock wide.
However, Kane swooped around the net and swept the rebound in on the
backhand.
It was the fifth career overtime goal in the playoffs for Kane and
the 49th of his career in the playoffs. The five overtime goals ties
Kane for third all-time in Stanley Cup history.
"He's a clutch player," said Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville.
"Obviously, he's a great player. Not a lot of players can do what he
did, or does."
The Blackhawks' win cut the Blues lead in the series to 3-2 and sent
it back to Chicago for Game Six, which will be played on Saturday.
If a seventh game is necessary, it will be in St Louis on Monday.
GETTING LUCKY
Kane has been a big reason why the Blackhawks are now 8-1 when
facing elimination since the beginning of the 2013 playoffs, but he
was not happy with his contribution to the team in this series
before his overtime goal.
"I don't think I was very good in that first overtime or very good
at all tonight," Kane said. "It's one of those things I tried to
tell myself just to get confidence going into that fifth period and
try to make some plays.
"I was fortunate enough that the puck squeaked to the side and I was
able to wrap one in. When you get those kind of opportunities,
sometimes you come up big. Sometimes you get lucky too."
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The Blackhawks had appeared to take control of the game with three
goals in the second, including a short-handed effort from Marian
Hossa -- his 50th career goal in the playoffs -- and a goal by
Artemi Panarin with just 0.4 seconds left in the period.
But the Blues, who had come from behind to win both Games Three and
Four in Chicago, responded once again with two goals in the third
period.
Robby Fabbri scored his first career playoff goal before David
Backes tied it 5:10 left in regulation.
The Blues had a chance to win the game when they got a power-play
with 4:14 to go after Chicago was called for having too many men on
the ice, but could not score and the game went to overtime.
The Blues outshot the Blackhawks 11-7 in the first overtime period
but could not get the puck past Corey.
"It was tough to give up another lead like that," Crawford said.
"But we didn't crack. We stuck with our game and we're excited to go
back home now."
(Editing by John O'Brien)
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