Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock confirmed that captain David Backes will not play in Game 3 of the team's Western Conference quarterfinal series against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.
Backes was injured late in Game 2 after absorbing a vicious check from Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook. The hit sent Backes into the corner boards and left him visibly dazed as a scrum broke out around the scene of the incident.
Seabrook received a charging major and game misconduct with 4:51 left in regulation, helping St. Louis score the equalizer with 6.4 seconds remaining. The Blues won in overtime to take a 2-0 series lead over the defending Stanley Cup champions.
On Sunday, the NHL announced a three-game suspension for Seabrook, who won't be eligible to return until Game 6, if the series lasts that long.
Backes finished the regular season as the Blues' second-leading scorer with 27 goals and also added 30 assists over 74 games.
Center Patrick Berglund, who missed the first two games of the series with an upper-body injury, will take Backes' spot on the ice.
[SportsNetwork.com]
