NHL Playoffs : Late Two-Goal Rally by Blues Beats Flames

Mark Reeds and Mark Hunter scored goals 66 seconds apart late in the third period Friday night to rally the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames in the opening game of the Campbell Conference hockey final.

The Blues, who played defensively through two periods, overcame a 2-1 deficit in the third. The victory was St. Louis’ sixth in its last seven games against Calgary.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven Stanley Cup semifinal series will be played Sunday night at Calgary.

Reeds, who scored the Blues’ first goal in the first period, added his second at 14:42 of the third after taking a pass from Doug Wickenheiser.

Hunter, the Blues’ leading scorer during the regular season, got the winning goal at 15:48 when he stepped between three Flames near the blue line and skated in to beat goaltender Mike Vernon for his fifth goal of the playoffs.

“I don’t know what happened,” Hunter said of his move past the group of Calgary players. “It was just one play I got lucky on.”

The Flames, who lead, 2-1, after two periods on goals by Colin Patterson and Hakan Loob, tried to mount an attack in the closing minutes but were unsuccessful.