Tarasenko helps Blues top Blackhawks 5-2 in opener

CHICAGO (AP) Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Wednesday in a clash on the opening night of the Central Division rivals.

Kevin Shattenkirk and Paul Stastny each had a power-play goal and two assists for the Blues, who eliminated the Blackhawks in seven games in the first round of the playoffs in April. Jake Allen had 17 saves in his first game since he became St. Louis' clear No. 1 with commercial goalie Brian Elliott June to Calgary.

Richard Panik and Ryan Hartman scored for Chicago, which had six rookies in the lineup, including two children playing in his first NHL game. Corey Crawford finished with 29 saves.

Blackhawks’ Hjalmarsson Suspended For Hit on Rattie

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson has been suspended for the first game of the regular season against against St. Louis.

Its open ice hit in blue forward Ty Rattie in a preseason game Saturday was the cause of his suspension, which also includes the rest of the preseason.

Rattie reporters after that game that was fine, and then recorded an assist in Monday's game against Washington. Hjalmarsson suspension also cost you $ 23,000 in salary.

Hjalmarsson has played 37 career games, regular season against the Blues. In those games he has acquired 17 penalty minutes, the third most for him against any individual computer.

Blues have two games remaining in the 2016 season. Washington received Wednesday at 7 p.m. then host the Blackhawks on Saturday October 8, at 7 pm These two games can be heard on KMOX or Y98 HD3.

I'm A Little Over The World Cup Of Hockey, I Think

The finals of the World Cup hockey best-of-three is not over, but the tournament may as well be. Team Europe has played in their 3-1 loss in Game 1 undefeated Team Canada, but despite being a set a goal for most of the second well in the third, it never really felt much doubt. This was Canada's tournament to win from the beginning, and now they are about, it all feels a bit disappointing.

European gamers said they played their best match of the tournament last night in Toronto, but it was still not enough. They, like everyone, have no answers for frontline Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand in Canada. Through five games, the three have combined for 10 goals and 19 points. second goal last night was prototypical Line: Crosby running things from behind the net, Marchand causing trouble before it, and Bergeron wins the position to do damage. They invaded by five European skaters, and it still looked effortlessly:

Halak's up to the task

Si Team Europe peut remettre les Canadiens leur première défaite depuis les Etats-Unis les a battus 5-3 dans la phase de groupes aux Jeux olympiques de Vancouver en 2010, il serait considéré comme un choc.

Cela étant dit, s'il y a eu un gardien de but dans ce tournoi qui a exposé, il est à la possibilité de battre le Canada, il a été le petite mais grand cœur Jaroslav Halak des Islanders de New York.

Le seul gardien plus petit que le 5 pieds 11, 181 livres Halak dans la LNH ces jours est de 5 pieds 10 pouces, 171 livres Jhonas Enroth, la nouvelle sauvegarde Maple Leafs de Toronto. de Halak 0,947 sauver pourcentage est un smidge inférieur canadien Carey Price de 0,948 dans ce tournoi de la Coupe du Monde.

Le 31-year-old Halak a un passé de spectacles de gros gibier. Il était brillant quand les Canadiens de Montréal bouleversé Alex Ovechkin et les Capitals de Washington au premier tour des éliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley 2010. Puis, il l'a fait à nouveau lorsque le Tricolore assommé Sidney Crosby et la défense de la Coupe Stanley champion des Penguins de Pittsburgh dans le deuxième tour.

Zero chill: Blackhawks' 'ice cream kid' revealed

Ask for the scoop on "ice cream kid" and you shall receive. The identity of the young Blackhawks fan who caught the sports world's attention by getting caught on camera "going to town" on some soft-serve is now known: It's 8-year-old James DeYoung III of Lincoln Park.

"Look at him! Look at him! He's going at it! That's right! How many licks to the center of a soft-serve ice cream?" Blackhawks commentator Eddie Olczyk yelled during the Hawks game against the Red Wings Sunday, playing off the one-time Tootsie Pop ad slogan. Since then James' video has popped up various places online.

So what's it like being an instant celebrity sports fan?

"Awesome!" said James, who attends Lycee Francais de Chicago. "I couldn't hear (Olczyk's comments at the game) but when I got into the car and I heard it, it was pretty funny."

James' father, Jamie DeYoung, who took his son to the United Center on Sunday, told the Chicago Tribune he was surprised by the amount of attention his son received while simply eating ice cream at a game.

"My son's loving his 10 seconds of fame," he said. "I think it's great for him. If people are having fun in a good way, I think it's fine."

It certainly delighted Olczyk and his broadcast partner Pat Foley.  

"All right, breathe, breathe," Olczyk said during a break in the game. "I sound like Ted Cruz right now."

Olczyk used a telestrator to analyze the kid's technique. "Watch this area here. And it's just all, I mean he's going to town. No drip, no nothing."