Kane's OT goal lifts Blackhawks past Blues

Patrick Kane scored 1:09 into overtime after James Wisniewski tied it in the final minute of regulation and the Chicago Blackhawks boosted their playoff hopes with a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues today.

Kane scored off a rebound of Niklas Hjalmarsson's shot from the left point, tucking the puck past Hannu Toivonen. It was Kane's 18th goal and fourth against St. Louis this season.

Adam Burish and Dustin Byfuglien also scored for the Blackhawks, four points behind Colorado for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot with six games left.

Lee Stempniak, D.J. King and Keith Tkachuk scored for the Blues, who went 1-7-1 on their season-high, nine-game road trip.

Both teams combined for four goals in the final 10:50 of regulation. Byfuglien scored his 18th goal at 9:10 when he took a pass from Kane and snapped a shot past Hannu Toivonen to make it 2-1.

St. Louis tied it 2:09 later when David Backes' shot from the right point deflected off King's skate in front of Nikolai Khabibulin, who finished with 26 saves.

The Blues took a 3-2 lead with 1:18 to play after Tkachuk scored on a breakaway for his 23rd goal. Wisniewski tied the score at 3 just 23 seconds later with a drive from the top of the slot past Toivonen.

It was Wisniewski's first goal in 18 games and seventh this season.

Notes:@ Kane tied the Blackhawks' rookie record for assist in a season with his 47th, joining coach Denis Savard (1980-81) and Steve Larmer (1982-83). ... Dan Hinote, Martin Rucinsky and Jay McKee were scratches for St. Louis. Chicago didn't have Robert Lang, Martin Havlat, Cam Barker, Andrei Zyuzin, Ben Eager or Yanic Perreault in the lineup. ... Former Blackhawks goalie Murray Bannerman dropped the ceremonial puck.