Blues take down skidding Blackhawks

[March 31, 2023]  Brandon Saad scored one goal and set up another as the visiting St. Louis Blues defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on Thursday.
 
 Jakub Vrana, Logan Brown, Alexey Toropchenko and Jordan Kyrou also scored for the Blues (35-34-6, 76 points), who are 6-1-1 in their last eight games. 

Mar 30, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (55) defends Chicago Blackhawks left wing Anders Bjork (24) as St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) defends the goal during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Faulk earned two assists for St. Louis and Jordan Binnington made 30 saves.

Tyler Johnson had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (24-45-6, 54 points), who lost their seventh straight game.

Andreas Athanasiou and Boris Katchouk also scored for Chicago. Taylor Raddysh had two assists and Petr Mrazek made 24 saves.

Vrana put the Blues up 1-0 with a backhand conversion on Saad's wraparound pass. That was Vrana's ninth goal in 13 games with the Blues and his 200th career NHL point.

Chicago tied the game 1-1 on a power play. Johnson's cross-crease pass set up Athanasiou's one-time shot into the open right side of the net.

That was Athanasiou's fourth goal in four games against the Blues this season.

But the Blues scored twice in a span of 38 seconds to move ahead 3-1. Faulk fired a snap shot from the slot that deflected in off Brown's skate.

Then Toropchenko scored as the trailer on a 3-on-1 rush by burying a drop pass from Tyler Pitlick.

The Blackhawks cut their deficit to 3-2 on a power play 31 seconds into the third period. From the left circle, Raddysh passed toward the right post to set up Johnson's redirection.

Kyrou jumped off the bench to restore the Blues' two-goal lead. He broke down the middle of the ice and scored off Sammy Blais' pass.

But 36 seconds later, Katchouk cut the Chicago deficit to 4-3 with a zig-zag move attacking the net.

The Blues sustained late pressure, but Saad finally iced the game with an empty-net goal with 1:13 left to play.

--Field Level Media

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.