‘Forgotten Man’ Brings Blues Back in Series

Tony Hrkac, all but forgotten, has brought the St. Louis Blues back in their playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks.

“Nobody was in my way, so I just tried to pull the goalie over,” Hrkac said of his winning shot at 33:49 of overtime Thursday night. It gave St. Louis a 5-4 victory. “I saw his glove hand drop, and I just put it over his shoulder.”

Teammate Bernie Federko expressed relief that the double-overtime marathon, which squared the Norris Division final at a game apiece, ended when it did.

“I think it comes down to running out of gas,” Federko said. “The first 20 minutes of overtime you’re trying to get it over. Actually that game could have gone on ... if one mistake hadn’t been made.”

The break St. Louis was looking for occurred when Chicago right wing Wayne Presley attempted a clearing pass.

“I guess he just didn’t see me. He thought he had more time,” Hrkac said of his action when intercepting a clearing pass by Presley. “Anybody could have won tonight’s game, there were so many chances.”

Hrkac had been an onlooker from press row during the Blues’ first six playoff games, including Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss to the Blackhawks.

“You just can’t throw anybody in there because he wants to play,” Hrkac said. “I had to wait for my chance. The team had been going well.”

St. Louis, which owned a 6-1-1 edge over Chicago during the regular season, jumped to a 2-0 advantage in the opening two minutes.

Rookie Rod Brind’Amour, playing in only his second playoff game, scored after only 31 seconds off Gordie Robets’ pass. Sergio Momesso followed 81 seconds later to make it 2-0, but the Blackhawks were far from through.

A game misconduct penalty given rugged Blues right wing Todd Ewen for entering a fight off the bench at 12:42 of the opening period seemed to shift the game’s momentum.

Duane Sutter ignited Chicago at 3:06 of the second period off Greg Gilbert’s feed from behind the net. Adam Creighton followed that with the Blackhawks’ fifth shorthand goal of the playoffs at 8:42, but St. Louis refused to buckle.

Brett Hull, who had 11 shots on goal, converted Federko’s pass into his only goal at 13:17 of the second peiod.

Steve Larmer used Denis Savard’s slick pass to knot it at 3-3 in less than a minute. And in the final period, Brian Benning scored for the Blues only to have Dirk Graham answer for Chicago.

“We played hard, but they played a little harder,” said Blackhawks goalie Alain Chevrier, who kicked out 51 of St. Louis’s 56 shots. “It was an exciting game, that’s for sure. I’m sure I lost a few pounds.”

The penalty to Ewen could have been particularly costly to the Blues under NHL rules requiring an automatic 10-game suspension and $1,000 fine for the player.

St. Louis coach Brian Sutter could also be suspended five games, but Federko said he is hoping for a more moderate penalty.

“He came off the bench on a line change. He shouldn’t have gone out and did what he did, but there was a line change,” Federko said of Ewen. “Brian (Sutter) was at the other end of the bench. Brian was not sending anybody out.”

Blues general manager Ron Caron said official word on the extent of the penalties will come today from the NHL office.

“I’ll try to defend our players, just like I’ve done before,” Caron said. “There’s nothing much else you can do.”

It was the longest NHL overtime playoff game since the New York Islanders went 68:47 to beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 two years ago.

“I was glad to see that goal go in, especially for him,” St. Louis center Rick Meagher said of Hrkac. “He had a tremendous game tonight. He played real well.”