GDT #25: 12/3/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Blackhawks | NBCSN/KMOX

[dmiles2186]

BLUES (16-6-2) AT BLACKHAWKS (15-8-1)

TV: NBCSN, TVA

Season series: The St. Louis Blues won the first game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Scottrade Center after scoring a pair of goals in the final 1:51 of the second period. Ryan Reaves and Dmitrij Jaskin scored 1:45 apart to give the Blues a 3-1 cushion, which they needed after Chicago forward Kris Versteeg made it 3-2 by scoring 2:37 into the third. The Blackhawks have won the past two regular-season games at United Center.

Blues team scope: St. Louis made news Tuesday by signing veteran goaltender Martin Brodeur to a one-year contract. Coach Ken Hitchcock said the move is expected to be short-term and help the Blues bridge the gap left by Brian Elliott's lower-body injury. Jake Allen, who has taken over the starting role, will play against the Blackhawks.

Hitchcock said that Brodeur would play either Thursday at the Nashville Predators or Saturday at the New York Islanders.

Forward Patrik Berglund and defenseman Jay Bouwmeester each left practice early Tuesday.

Berglund, who needed stitches after a puck off his own stick hit him in the mouth, is expected to play. Bouwmeester, who's missed four games with a lower-body injury, will be a game-time decision.

Blackhawks team scope: The Blackhawks finished their six-game "Circus Trip" with a nearly-perfect 5-1-0 record, but the success didn't come without a toll. Goalie Corey Crawford, who started every game of the trip, sustained an undisclosed lower-body injury off ice at some point between the final game Saturday at the Los Angeles Kings and practice Tuesday. Crawford, who was being evaluated when coach Joel Quenneville met with the media after practice, will miss the game against the Blues. Quenneville said he doesn't know yet whether the injury is serious.

Defenseman Brent Seabrook also missed practice with an illness, but is expected to play. Injured left wing Patrick Sharp, who's been out since Nov. 4 with a lower-body injury, is nearing a return. He practiced Tuesday but will not play against St. Louis.

Antti Raanta will start in place of Crawford and the Blackhawks have recalled Scott Darling from the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League to serve as backup.

[gaijin]

2 points, please.

[glen a richter]

JNE's favorite team loses this one.

[STLADOGG]

Please kill Kane....that is all.

[Kerfuffle]

I'm going to the game tonight - first home game in over 2 weeks.

[ecbm]

Berglund, who needed stitches after a puck off his own stick hit him in the mouth

You know, it does sometimes seem like this guy can't catch a break.

Please kill Kane

Well I don't want him dead, I just want it acknowledged that he's the most overrated and one of most overpaid players in the league.

[cardsfan04]

Kane comes in at number 1 on the league douchebag power rankings.

[cprice12]

Well I don't want him dead, I just want it acknowledged that he's the most overrated and one of most overpaid players in the league.

Ding, ding, ding.

[ecbm]

OT: next time you're wondering about something completely inane, counterfactual or un-researched related to hockey appearing in an item at espn consider that they don't have any link to a story about the passing of Jean Beliveau on their front page, while they do have links to stories on Michael Jordan's ownership of the Charlotte Hornets, the ejection of a guy with a prosthetic leg from the Nets game last night and a story about how Baylor's football team is still pretty good.

RIP, Mr. Beliveau.

[cprice12]

Start the game already.

[Kerfuffle]

Crawford is out for 3 weeks with lower body injury - just announced

[ecbm]

Crawford is out for 3 weeks with lower body injury - just announced

...after hurting his foot at a concert...lol...

[Kerfuffle]

I think it's funny that "lower body injury" can mean 'ingrown toenail" or "compound leg fracture". It's so vague that no one knows. Same thing with upper body injury - could be 'major concussion' or 'hungover from bar the night before'.

[dmiles2186]

I think it's funny that "lower body injury" can mean 'ingrown toenail" or "compound leg fracture". It's so vague that no one knows. Same thing with upper body injury - could be 'major concussion' or 'hungover from bar the night before'.

Upper body injury - decapitation
Lower body injury - severed leg

Upper body injury - mild head cold
Lower body injury - cut legs shaving (Detroit Red Wing-specific injury)

[Portland Blues]

Well, that escalated quickly.

[Krigloch the Furious]

tied 1-1
come back and see it's 1-4, wtf!
What the hell happened?

Also, scoring 1 goal against a freakin backup is cool. Keep it up.

[glen a richter]

What in the holy hell happened?

[cardsfan04]

Ugh, that got ugly for a minute.

[glen a richter]

Ugh, that got ugly for a minute.

Young Jake was doing his Ryan Miller tribute. Not cool.

[tjk002]

This team has no toughness. Never thought the trade of Polak would cut the balls off of this team. Pathetic display out there tonight.