Hit might get Blackhawks' Seabrook suspended

ST. LOUIS - In a game that featured a ton of big hits Saturday, none was bigger - or had bigger ramifications - than Brent Seabrook's shoulder to the head of David Backes in the final minutes of regulation during the Blackhawks' 4-3 overtime loss to St. Louis.

Not only did the hit leave Backes woozy and unable to continue, it caused the Hawks to play the final five minutes of regulation a man down, and they paid quite the price when Vladimir Tarasenko's notched the game-tying goal with just seven seconds remaining.

But there may be even further ramifications: The league is reviewing the hit, and there's a chance Seabrook could be suspended following a hearing, which would be a huge hit to the Blackhawks.

"We'll see what happens. I mean, I don't know," Seabrook said. "I feel bad seeing a guy like that on the ice. I've been there myself, and I'm not trying to target his head, I'm not trying to do anything like that.

"It doesn't feel good to see a player like that lying there like that, and knowing that I hit him. It wasn't my intent.

"I thought it was a hit. It's a physical series; hits have been like that from both sides the whole series, so we'll see what happens."

Not surprisingly, St. Louis players weren't enamored of the hit or its result.

"A high hit," Barret Jackman said. "We'll let the league (deal with it). If they feel it's bad, they'll do something about it. If not, we continue to play."

Seabrook's hit led to quite a scrum as Blues players - most notably Alexander Steen - came to the defense of their captain.

"It's their call, it's their judgment, five minutes that's fine, but their guy comes flying in, throws his gloves off and starts throwing punches like crazy," Hawks goalie Corey Crawford said. "I don't know why nothing was called there.

"Calling five minutes is fine; you got your point across. Apparently guys are allowed to come flying into a scrum and that's fine, that's OK … whatever."

Like Hawks coach Joel Quenneville, the Blues' Ken Hitchcock had no comment on the hit or the ensuing scrum, but he did offer this when asked how Backes was doing:

"How do you think he is?" the coach asked. "Not great."