Blues Cruise To Win Game 1

San Jose
Sharks

"We played them a lot during the regular season. It helped a lot and it is still hockey. It is just a little bit faster and harder on the body," Hecht said. "It bounced my way tonight. It is about the way you play. If you play hard, you get the chances."

Chris Pronger, Lubos Bartecko and Marty Reasoner also scored for St. Louis and goalie Roman Turek overcame a shaky first period.

"We got some production from some guys who you might have wondered how they'd respond," Quenneville said. "Many nights somebody responded. We did what we had to do."

The Sharks got goals from Lowry, Mike Rathje and their top goal-scorer Owen Nolan, who scored a shorthanded goal late in the tird period. Steve Shields made 32 saves for San Jose.

"He was fine tonight," Sharks coach Darryl Sutter said of Shields. "He kept us in the game, no question."

San Jose was missing their No. 2 gunner Jeff Friesen, who became ill with a possible food poisoning.

"I just know he's really sick for something that sudden," Sutter said. "I don't know if it was food poisoning because everybody ate together. Hey, we missed him."

Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is Saturday night at St. Louis.