ST. LOUIS - No one is ready to say the Blues-Blackhawks rivalry is anything like it used to be, but consecutive games in St. Louis this week at least created some extra interest.
Blues coach Andy Murray remembers games when both teams had distinct home-ice advantage.
"In those days when the Blackhawks came to town or you went to Chicago, you couldn't get a ticket," said Murray, whose team hosts the Blackhawks again at 7 p.m today at Scottrade Center.
"To me, when it gets to that point where the teams are battling as good teams on a consistent basis, then it will be full again.
"Some of the physical battles I used to see them have, the warriors on both teams ..
. the Sutters, the Mansons, guys like that. That's kind of what stuck out.
"
Chicago's 4-1 win on Tuesday gave the Blackhawks four straight wins over the Blues for the first time since the 1982-83 season.
"I know there's two straight since I've been here and that's the thing that bothers me," Murray said. "The other two I'm not worried about.
We've got to reverse that trend, that's for sure."
The Blackhawks stayed in St. Louis, which makes the whole sequence seem something like a playoff series.
"It's always been good hockey games with them, close hockey games," Blues center Doug Weight said Wednesday. "The good thing is we were really disappointed last night. I talked to some guys and it was a terrible feeling in here, worse than when you lose four or five in a row.
"
Statistics kept by the Blues coaching staff showed them with 20 scoring chances to 10 by Chicago -- and it was 20-5 at one point.
But the Blues never added to their one-goal lead and Chicago exploded for three quick goals in the third period to gain control.
"Take nothing away from them, they buried their chances," Weight said.
"They've done it twice against us, so obviously it's the way they're playing."
The recent hot streak by Blues goalie Manny Legace coincided with a switch to lighter leg pads. After wearing the same pads made by the Brian's company since 1993, Legace decided to try some modern technology.
"With all the new plastics and foams and stuff, they took about three to four pounds out of each leg," said Legace, whose 5-0-3 string ended on Tuesday against the 'Hawks. "They seem to sit higher when you go down. Everybody's wearing them, so I decided to try them.
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Legace switched his pads last month while out of the lineup with a concussion. Goalies tend to be superstitious about their equipment, so any change can be huge whether on the psychological or physical side.
He also has been doing extra work with Blues goaltenders coach Rick Wamsley.
"I got into a little slump there where I was too far back in my net," Legace said. "I'm an aggressive goaltender and he wants me to stay back more. I got into a lot of trouble being too far back; trying to back more in my net, guys were just eating me alive.
"Now we've found a happy medium between mine and his and it seems to be working. The guys have been playing unbelievable in front of me, that's the biggest difference."
Blues goalie Curtis Sanford also favors the newer pads.
"They're square at the top and they're pure butterfly pads," he said. "They close up really square on the five-hole, whereas the old style would taper up the middle. Sometimes if you're stick isn't there, those pads are going to be closed nice and tight and the puck still doesn't get through.
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Sanford, out since Dec. 1 with a groin tear, has been back on the ice the past four days.
"We're really testing it and seeing how it feels the next morning," Sanford said.
"They're pretty impressed with how I've recovered so far. The big thing is to keep recovering, make sure this thing gets strong and healed up."
Contact reporter Norm Sanders at or 239-2454.
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