Defeat leaves Blackhawks' backs firmly against the wall

Maybe this isn't the Blackhawks' year.

Posts are being hit - sometimes BOTH of them on the same shot. They get 24 shots in one period, yet lose the game. Patrick Kane, the NHL's leading scorer, can't find a way to beat Blues goalie Brian Elliott.

Maybe, just maybe, the karma has left this team for one season.

How else do you explain a puck shot by Artem Anisimov getting past Elliott in Game 4 on Tuesday night, standing upright against the post and proceeding to fall flat down on the goal line instead of across it?

Right. You can't.

Seven minutes after that misfortune - at 14:02 of the first period - Vladimir Tarasenko beat Corey Crawford with a nasty wrist shot to give the Blues a 1-0 lead, and St. Louis went on to claim a 4-3 victory to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

"We know that it takes four to win a series, so we're going to do everything we can to make sure we have our best game. We have to," Duncan Keith said. "We're facing elimination and we've got to leave it all out on the ice."

Game 5 is Thursday in St. Louis in the first do-or-die game the Hawks will face since Game 7 of the Western Conference finals against Anaheim last year.

While karma may be against the Hawks, it's also entirely possible that maybe - just maybe - this Blues team is simply better than the Hawks. More talented. More resilient. More … everything.

Despite falling into a 2-1 hole 13:09 into the second period, the Blues scored 3 straight goals.

After Tarasenko tied it late in the second period with his second goal of the game, Jaden Schwartz gave St. Louis a 3-2 lead 1:36 into the third period on a power-play goal with Keith off holding Jori Lehtera.

Three minutes later, St. Louis extended that edge to 4-2 on an Alexander Steen goal. Steen scored when he intercepted a Trevor van Riemsdyk pass intended for Michal Rozsival in the neutral zone, then raced in on Crawford and scored on a breakaway.

Keith made it 4-3 with 5:20 to go in the game when his shot from the blue line hit a Blues player out front and sailed over the head of Elliott.

Now there was a bounce that went the Hawks' way, but in the end it was too little, too late.

Tarasenko has 3 goals in the series and would have had a fourth had one not been overturned on review in Game 2.

"Well, he's got a great shot. Quick release," Keith said. "He doesn't need much time or space. He's a guy we've got to be aware of when we're out on the ice with him, and on the power play try to get in his lane.

"He's good at getting it through, but it's got to be a team effort."

The biggest fireworks of the night came courtesy of Crawford when he came to blows with Robby Fabbri moments after Shaw's goal had tied the game at 1-1.

Fabbri nearly scored on back-to-back shots, then slid into Crawford, who took exception to a little extra contact.

Crawford went after Fabbri and the two exchanged haymakers along the end boards while the other players raced down ice.

Once everyone returned to the sight of the melee, fists were flying and eventually roughing penalties were handed out to Crawford and Andrew Ladd and to the Blues' Alex Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk, and one to Fabbri for goaltender interference.

Keith took advantage of the ensuing power play by taking a rebound and beating Elliott to make it 2-1 Hawks.

"We all like to see that. Crow's a competitor," Keith said. "He made huge save after huge save to keep it where it was."

After Keith had closed the gap to 4-3, the Hawks were buzzing in the final moments of the period, but Shaw was called for interference with 2:04 on the clock, putting St. Louis on the power play.

Keith and Co. didn't get another good look to tie the game.

"It's two minutes left in the game and everybody's battling out there and we're killing a penalty," Keith said.

"I didn't see the call. It's tough to comment on that.

"Shawzie's battling. He's been battling all year and he competes hard in the playoffs. That's what we need out of him. I don't think we blame him at all."

Now the Hawks will have to overcome the first 3-1 series hole they've faced since the 2014 Western Conference finals against Los Angeles … a series in which they eventually lost in seven games.

"We've got to regroup tomorrow, leave for St. Louis," coach Joel Quenneville said. "Get excited. No pressure. Try to win one game and come back here for Game 6."

Three stars of Game 4 of Blues-Blackhawks game

THREE STARS

1 Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues. Superstar wingers scores St. Louis' first 2 goals and assists on game-winner.

2 Alexander Steen, Blues. Steals puck in neutral zone, races in on Corey Crawford and extends St. Louis' lead to 4-2 at 4:46 of the third period.

3 Jaden Schwartz, Blues. Records game-winning goal early in third period and assists on Tarasenko's first tally.