Game Recap

ST. LOUIS 3, DALLAS 2 (2OT) ST. LOUIS (AP) - One more victory, and the St. Louis Blues are in the conference finals for the first time in 15 years. One more loss, and the Dallas Stars' drive for a third straight Stanley Cup final is history. Cory Stillman scored at 9:26 of the second overtime as the Blues overcame a two-goal deficit to win 3-2, taking a 3-0 series lead Tuesday night in the Western Conference semifinal series. "They have the hammer and we're the nail," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "If we could have won this game, psychologically it could have worked wonders for us." After winning the first two games at Dallas, the Blues can advance at home, where they had the NHL's best regular-season record, in Game 4 Thursday night. The last time they made it out of the second round was 1986, when they lost in seven games to Calgary in the conference finals. St. Louis outshot the Stars 6-1 in the second overtime. It was the first of 19 overtime games in this year's NHL playoffs to require a second extra period. Dallas won the Stanley Cup two years ago and lost in the finals to New Jersey last year. The Devils closed out the finals last year with a double-overtime victory. Stillman, a late-season pickup from Calgary, scored his third goal of the postseason. Scott Mellanby left a drop pass for Stillman, who put a wrist shot between Ed Belfour's pads. "I couldn't ask for it to be in a better place to shoot it," Stillman said. "There's probably two that you'll remember when you're done and one's the first goal I ever scored, and definitely tonight." Mellanby was relieved as much as elated. "I was almost in disbelief when I saw it went in the net, the way things have been going for us as a line," Mellanby said. "It was hard on the old body to have to play that many minutes." Alexander Khavanov's first career playoff goal, with 2:15 left in regulation, capped the Blues' comeback from a two-goal deficit and forced overtime. Khavanov, a 29-year-old first-year player who had seven goals in the regular season, was alone at the left circle even though Jamal Mayers flubbed his centering pass, and beat Belfour with a high drive. "Without that goal, we'd be at home already," Khavanov said. "This goal just gave us a chance to keep going." Mike Keane opened the scoring in the first period. After Brett Hull's power-play goal at 7:53 of the second period made it 2-0, the Blues outshot the Stars 22-5 the rest of regulation. "It's a game of mistakes, and the ones we seem to making end up in our net," said the Stars' Mike Modano. "You give a talented team that many chances, they are going to score." Jochen Hecht also scored and Roman Turek made 25 saves for the Blues, who have won five straight playoff games. Mayers had two assists. The Stars lost despite inspired efforts from Modano, whose sprained left ankle got a lot better in a hurry, and Belfour, who made 45 saves. Modano, who missed Game 2, set up both of the Stars' goals and played more than 35 minutes. ST. LOUIS BLUES 3, Dallas Stars 2 (2OT) 1ST 2ND 3RD 1OT 2OT FINAL --- --- --- --- --- ----- Dallas 1 1 0 0 0 2 St. Louis 0 1 1 0 1 3 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: 1, Dallas, Keane 3 (Modano, Zubov), 5:29. PENALTIES: Muller, Dal (holding stick), 12:39; Hecht, StL (interference), 15:01. SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: 2, Dallas, Hull 2 (Sydor, Modano), 7:53 (pp). 3, St. Louis, Hecht 2 (MacInnis, Mayers), 17:59. PENALTIES: Khavanov, StL (holding), 6:39; Mayers, StL (high-sticking), 13:17. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: 4, St. Louis, Khavanov 1 (Mayers, Stillman), 17:45. PENALTIES: Zubov, Dal (tripping), 4:50. FIRST OVERTIME - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: Dallas bench, served by Hogue (too many men), 14:35. SECOND OVERTIME - SCORING: 5, St. Louis, Stillman 3 (Mellanby, Eastwood), 9:26. PENALTIES: Morrow, Dal (hooking), 2:54. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 1OT 2OT TOTAL --- --- --- --- --- ----- Dallas 6 7 4 9 1 27 St. Louis 9 12 12 9 6 48 POWER PLAY: Dallas 1 of 3; St. Louis 0 of 4. GOALIES: Dallas, Belfour 4-5 (48 shots-45 saves). St. Louis, Turek 7-2 (27-25). Referees: Dan Marouelli, Dean Warren. Linesmen: Brad Lazarowich, Mark Wheler. A: 19,967 (19,260).