Advantage, Blues in playoff-like battle

As expected, the Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues staged a regular-season version of a playoff game on Sunday night at the United Center.

There were big hits and big goals. There was great goaltending at both ends of the rink. There was even a little controversy in the Blues' 2-1 victory, which moved them into sole possession of first place in the Central Division with three games to play.

Corey Crawford made 31 saves and Kris Versteeg snapped a 16-game goal drought to put the Hawks up 1-0 in the first, but it wasn't enough. St. Louis got 38 saves by Jake Allen and goals in the second by David Backes and Olli Jokinen, which ended up being the difference.

"It seems like when we play these guys, it's always a 1-goal game," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "In the first period, Crow did a great job for us. The second period, they scored two big ones and then they were just trying to defend and keep it our of their end or prevent the rush game."

The Hawks outshot the Blues 12-5 in the third and 27-17 in the final minutes, but just couldn't get another puck past Allen.

"We pushed at the end," Quenneville said. "We had stretches where it was OK, but at the end of the day it was a big 4-point swing."

The Hawks remain in third place in the division, 3 points back of the Blues and 2 points behind the Nashville Predators for second. Like the other two teams, the Hawks have three games left - including another tough game Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild followed by a rematch against the Blues on Thursday in St. Louis.

"We're definitely disappointed in the outcome, but we've still got some things to sort out this week and see how it plays out," Quenneville said.

The controversial play happened on the second of 2 Blues goals in the second period, when a point shot by defenseman Alex Pietrangelo hit Blues forward Ty Rattie right in front of Corey Crawford. The puck kicked to the low slot, right to Jokinen, who sent it into the net before Crawford could slide over.

Rattie's right skate hit Crawford's left pad and appeared to catch for a second. Crawford wanted a goalie interference call, but his objection was to no avail. The officials didn't see the contact and the goal counted.

"It's a tough loss," said Crawford, who made 31 saves and was outstanding in the first period. "I kind of feel like we got robbed a little bit, but whatever."

Asked further about the play with Rattie, Crawford argued his side of it, that he was prevented from sliding over in time.

"(The referee) wasn't in position to see it, so it's kind of a tough one to take," he said. "(There's) been a bunch of those goals this year and I don't know how (the) other games are going, but this one ended up in a loss on a goal like that."