Troy Murray: Game 7 takes on a life of its own

Troy Murray answers questions about what fans can expect as the Chicago Blackhawks get set to take on the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series.

Q: The Blackhawks have all the momentum right now after huge victories in Games 5 and 6. How big of an advantage is that going into Monday's Game 7.

A: Momentum's a funny thing. When you look at it, you say the Blackhawks have the momentum because they've won two games in an elimination situation. But does that mean anything in Game 7? I don't know.

I believe the Blues and the Blackhawks understand that this has been a real close series. That was a 1-goal game (Saturday) up until Andrew Shaw's power-play goal and the empty-net goal. The score looks a little bit more deceiving than what it was.

There was a stretch in the first period that St. Louis dominated the Blackhawks. There was a stretch that the Blackhawks were able to dominate. You're going to have those ebbs and flows.

There's pressure on both teams now because it is elimination (for the loser). … Anything can happen. I've been there as a player. We've seen it in the past. Game 7 is a different animal. It'll take a life of its own from the other games in the series.

Q: Who has stood out for you from St. Louis who maybe hasn't gotten the recognition they should be getting?

A: Robbi Fabbri in the beginning of the series was very impressive. He's a 20-year-old rookie in the NHL, and you don't really hear a lot about him because of (Vladimir) Tarasenko and (Alexander) Steen and (Alex) Pietrangelo, some of their star players.

But he's a really good hockey player. For a youngster to score 18 goals in his rookie year and be the impact guy that he's been here in the playoffs - and especially at the beginning of the series - has been very impressive.

Q: Same question for the Blackhawks: Which under-the-radar player has stood out for you?

A: Trevor van Riemsdyk on the blue line there - he's been asked to do a lot in really his first playoff performance. He filled in a few games last year (in the Final), but he's been doing an admirable job.

And you look at Richard Panik here the last couple of games - here's a guy who at the beginning of the season wasn't on the roster of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and now he's playing on a line with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. He's been pretty impressive.

• Troy Murray is in his 16th year as a member of the Blackhawks broadcast team and his ninth as the color analyst for the team's radio broadcasts. The Selke Award winner was a five-time 20-goal scorer who played 15 years in the NHL. Follow him on Twitter@muzz19.