As Chicago Blackhawks know, Brouwer a big hit with the Blues

ST. LOUIS - As Andrew Shaw was scoring a pivotal goal for the Blackhawks in Game 2 of their opening-round playoff series with the Blues, Troy Brouwer was sizing up another player who happened to be standing in the crease:

Old buddy Brent Seabrook.

Brouwer, the Blues' winger who won a Stanley Cup in Chicago in 2010, proceeded to wallop Seabrook with a vicious cross-check - one that sent the Hawks defenseman face first onto the ice.

"Yeah, I know who did it," Seabrook said the next day. "You see the replay."

Brouwer, who has known Seabrook since the two were young, said it's nothing personal. After all, all's fair in love, war … and playoff hockey.

"At that point I'm just hitting another player and trying to finish my checks and do what's going to help my team win," Brouwer said Thursday before the Blues and Hawks played Game 5 at Scottrade Center. "We can worry about friendships over beers in the summer time."

The hard-hitting veteran of eight NHL seasons has kept in touch with a handful of his former teammates, and especially so with Seabrook and Andrew Ladd, but he hasn't said much to them during this series.

"I'm assuming both sides want to keep it very businesslike until it's over," Brouwer said.

Brouwer was a salary-cap casualty in 2011 when the Hawks traded him to Washington at the draft. He is in his first season with the Blues, coming over in an off-season deal with the Capitals for T.J. Oshie.

Brouwer's stats this year - 18 goals, 21 assists - were very similar to every one of his six seasons prior to coming to St. Louis. And while the offensive contributions are nice, GM Doug Anderson also brought Brouwer on board for his grit, determination and leadership.

"He makes just great plays under pressure when the game's really starting to ramp up or momentum's starting to swing away from us," said defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. "And he's a tremendous voice in the locker room."

Asked for an example, Shattenkirk recalled a time earlier this season when he exploded at a referee for a perceived missed call, and Brouwer settled him down.

Said Shattenkirk: "I'm focusing my energy on the wrong things and I remember Brow just saying, 'Hey. Just let it go. Pick your battles. You know when it's time to argue with them. Right now just take a deep breath and focus on your next shift.'

"It was good. It was something that woke me up, and it was 100 percent true."

Also true is that, once the series is over, Brouwer's relationship with Seabrook, Andrew Ladd and Jonathan Toews will not change one iota. The bond all the 2010 Hawks formed will last a lifetime for sure, but it also helps that - in the case of these guys - they all geninuely enjoy each other's company and call each other friends.

"You pick up where you left off," Brouwer said. "There's no awkwardness or weird, small chitchat. You just carry on with your conversation and catch up.

"You try and keep in touch with those guys because it's more than just hockey friendships. It's lifelong friendships."