- The St. Louis Blues hope to build on their first win of the
season tonight when they welcome the Chicago Blackhawks to the Scottrade
Center.
After losing its first three games out west, St. Louis posted a 3-2 shootout
win over Boston in its home opener on Thursday. Lee Stempniak's shootout goal
lifted the Blues to the win.
It was St. Louis' first win since April 9, as the club lost its final five
games last season. The Blues haven't posted a winning streak since February
12-March 1 last season, and those two wins were separated by the Olympic
break.
Stempniak also scored in the third period for the Blues, while Jamal Mayers
tied things late in regulation. Goaltender Manny Legace made 16 saves in the
win, his first with the team after coming over from Detroit as a free agent
this summer.
St. Louis will host Phoenix on Tuesday.
Chicago, meanwhile, has won two of its first three games. On Thursday, Jeff
Hamilton scored the game-winning goal with 7:40 left in the third period as
the Blackhawks downed the Nashville Predators, 3-1, at United Center.
Nikolai Khabibulin was stellar in net with 37 saves for the Blackhawks, who
have already beaten Nashville twice this season.
Michal Handzus also tallied for Chicago, while Martin Havlat added an empty
netter to ice the game. Havlat is off to a monster start to his first campaign
in the Windy City, as he leads the team with four goals and eight points. The
star winger was acquired from Ottawa in a three-way trade over the summer.
In just three games the Blackhawks have tallied 15 goals, which is among the
league leaders in the early going.
Chicago will visit Colorado on Monday.
The Hawks went 5-3 against the Blues last season.
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