by Len Ziehm, The Chicago Sun-Times , Chicago Sun Times

It was the Hawks' 10th straight sellout, but the crowd went home disappointed. Andy McDonald scored from the right circle 2:15 into overtime to extend the Hawks' frustrations in games that go beyond regulation. This was their first overtime loss, but they're also 1-4 in shootouts. That's five valuable points lost that might well prove critical when the playoffs are on the line.

''It was a tough call there at the end,'' Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. ''A penalty in overtime is a huge hurdle to overcome.

''Whether it was a penalty or not, it was 4-on-3, and there was a lot of room for them to move and make a play.''

Bolland took the blame.

''It was a penalty,'' Bolland said. ''That wasn't smart. I wish I could take it back, but I can't.''

At least the Hawks extended their point streak on home ice. They're 6-0-4 at the United Center and have one more game there, on Sunday against the San Jose Sharks. Then the Hawks take off on their first extended road trip of the season -- a six-game stretch that takes them to Phoenix, Dallas, Toronto, San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles. The Hawks are 1-3-1 on the road.

The Hawks didn't come out ready to play against a Blues team that was 1-7-1 in its last nine games. The Blues opened the scoring on a short-handed goal by McDonald, who cashed in when Lee Stempniak stole the puck from Dustin Byfuglien at the Hawks' blue line.

It was 2-0 four minutes later when David Perron scored from the left circle with Brent Sopel in front of him.

Byfuglien got one back thanks to a great feed from Andrew Ladd, but the Blues got another gift goal, this one coming from Cam Paddock after Martin Havlat lost the puck at center ice and then fell down to set up a Blues rush the other way.

It was an ugly period all the way around. The teams combined for 15 penalties totaling 58 minutes. Brent Seabrook, Cam Barker, Byfuglien and Ben Eager drew fighting majors for the Hawks, and David Backes earned a game-misconduct penalty for the Blues, who drew eight of the penalties and also had four fighting majors.

The Hawks got within a goal in the much-tamer second period. Bolland's short-handed goal, on which the puck caromed in off the pads of St. Louis goaltender Manny Legace after Kris Versteeg's pass set up the breakaway, came 6:05 into the period while Seabrook was in the box for interference.

Bolland tied the game 2:41 into the third after McDonald lost his stick. That helped Ladd provide Bolland with a crisp centering pass, and he converted from the right circle to tie the game.

- - -

Blackhawks RECAP

ST. LOUIS 3 0 0 1--4

Blackhawks 1 1 1 0--3

First Period--1, St. Louis, McDonald 5 (Stempniak), 3:49 (sh). 2, St. Louis, Perron 2 (Stempniak, Brewer), 6:19. 3, HAWKS, Byfuglien 2 (Ladd, Bolland), 7:09. 4, St. Louis, Paddock 1 (McClement), 10:24. Penalties--Wagner, StL (slashing), 2:56; Sharp, HAWKS (roughing), 7:42; Woywitka, StL, major (fighting), 10:45; Seabrook, HAWKS, major (fighting), 10:45; Backes, StL, major-game misconduct (fighting), 11:07; Barker, HAWKS, major (fighting), 11:07; Tkachuk, StL, served by Boyes, minor-major (cross-checking, fighting), 11:18; Byfuglien, HAWKS, major (fighting), 11:18; Janssen, StL, major (fighting), 14:36; Eager, HAWKS, major (fighting), 14:36; Perron, StL (hooking), 17:31.

Second Period--5, HAWKS, Bolland 1 (Versteeg), 6:05 (sh). Penalties--Seabrook, HAWKS (interference), 4:26; McKee, StL (holding), 9:38; Woywitka, StL (cross-checking), 11:34; Sharp, HAWKS (tripping), 12:28; Sopel, HAWKS (hooking), 17:40.

Third Period--6, HAWKS, Bolland 2 (Ladd), 2:41. Penalties--Seabrook, HAWKS (interference), 11:44; Tkachuk, StL (high-sticking), 17:14.

Overtime--7, St. Louis, McDonald 6 (Stempniak, Boyes), 2:15 (pp). Penalties--Bolland, HAWKS (hooking), 1:07.

Shots on Goal--St. Louis 12-9-8-1--30. HAWKS 9-10-15-1--35. Power-play opportunities--St. Louis 1 of 6; HAWKS 0 of 6. Goalies--St. Louis, Legace 5-3-0 (35 shots-32 saves). HAWKS, Khabibulin 4-1-4 (30-26).

Referees--Francois St. Laurent, Dan O'Halloran. Linesmen--Scott Driscoll, Dan Schachte. A--22,260 (20,500). T--2:34.

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