Playoffs: Who Wins: Steen's OT gives Blues 2-1 win over Kings

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- This time around, the St. Louis Blues are determined not to be a mere speed bump for the Los Angeles Kings.

Coach Ken Hitchcock likes his team's chances of making a deep playoff run, but scoffed away a suggestion that the Blues and Kings have a lot of similarities. After sweeping the Blues in the second round last spring en route to the franchise's first Stanley Cup, Los Angeles won all three games this season, too, and have taken eight in a row overall.

''Look, we haven't beaten them in two years,'' Hitchcock said Monday. ''I think we're really hungry for this series. It's a matchup that quite frankly if we're going to go far, the confidence if we could win this series would be astronomical.''

The Blues have won 12 of their last 15 with a mix of stingy goaltending, tight checking and just enough offense. They won their last six at home to claim the fourth seed in the Western Conference after finishing one point ahead of the Kings.

Forward T.J Oshie, expected back from ankle surgery for Game 1 Tuesday night, believes the key to the series is ''probably not let them push us around and intimidate us.''

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/blues-ready-another-shot-kings-210310732.html

Jackman gives Blues 2-1 win over Kings, 2-0 lead

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- For the second straight time, the St. Louis Blues stunned the goalie that stoned everyone last spring.

Barret Jackman said his eyes were closed when his first career playoff goal sailed past Jonathan Quick and into the net with 50.6 seconds to go in a 2-1 victory Thursday night. It gave the Blues a 2-0 series lead against the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings.

''He probably didn't think I was going to shoot, the way my hands are,'' Jackman said. ''The building erupted and it's a pretty good feeling.''

Quick knows he's to blame for the Kings' predicament. He was often spectacular in Game 1, but spoiled it with a stickhandling gaffe that led to Alex Steen's short-handed overtime goal. Quick thought he'd glove the puck on Jackman's innocent-appearing wrist shot.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jackman-gives-blues-2-1-043253312--nhl.html