After outscoring the Philadelphia Flyers 10-2 in the opening three games of their first-round series, the Washington Capitals now find themselves heading to a Game 6 after failing to clinch a second-round berth in their first two tries.

Despite holding a 1-8 record in their last nine playoff games with a chance to eliminate their opponent, the Capitals aren't concerned about their past postseason struggles.

"Not worried about it," said defenseman Matt Niskanen, per Jordan Hall of CSN Philly. Friday's 2-0 Game 5 loss - that saw the Capitals outshoot the Flyers 44-11 - marked the first time Washington loss back-to-back games in regulation all season.

"I don't think this team has any playoff experience," Karl Alzner added, when asked if it was fair to be concerned about the team's postseason history. "It's our first playoffs together. In my opinion, no, sorry to be cheeky. That's the truth I think."

As far as head coach Barry Trotz is concerned, the pressure is on the Capitals to close this series out. But after a dominant Game 5 performance that ended in a loss, he doesn't see a need to change his team's approach heading into Sunday's game.

"Keep playing that way and it'll turn," he said.

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The St. Louis Blues are exactly where they didn't want to be.

After failing to close out the Chicago Blackhawks for the second game in a row, the Blues head home for Game 7 having completely relinquished momentum to the defending Stanley Cup champions.

A 3-1 lead heading into the second period of Game 5 wasn't enough, as the Blackhawks stormed back for five unanswered goals, improving to 15-1 in their last 16 Game 6s.

Ahead of Saturday's game, Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock said it doesn't matter where the series ends as long as the Blues win, and is expecting his team to respond with the season on the line.

"They raised the bar," Hitchcock said postgame. "Now it's our turn to answer."

Suddenly on the brink of their third consecutive first-round elimination, the Blues season, and potentially Hitchcock's position with the team, hang in the balance.

"They had a great second, they did what they had to do and now we're in a spot where we've got home-ice Game 7 to determine our season," said Scottie Upshall. "Now it's down to 60 minutes, whoever wants it, gets it. We're in our own building and we're going to take advantage of it."

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Andrew Shaw's return to the Chicago Blackhawks' lineup was a memorable one.

Having served a one-game suspension in Game 5, Shaw was back on the ice for Game 6, scoring the insurance marker for Chicago while playing a key role on the Blackhawks' top line in the 6-3 victory.

Already a member of two Stanley Cup-winning teams, Shaw marveled at the atmosphere in the United Center on Saturday night, saying it's like nothing he's ever heard.

"It was probably the loudest I've ever heard the United Center," Shaw told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. "I was out there at one point, my ears were buzzing."

Andrew Ladd, who won it all with Chicago in 2010 and returned to the Blackhawks at the trade deadline, echoed Shaw's comments.

"It was amazing," Ladd said. "The loudest probably that I've ever heard the building, which says something."

Game 7 goes Monday night in St. Louis.

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Dutch Gretzky made his first goal as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks count.

Dale Weise bagged his first goal since being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens, in Game 6 against the St. Louis Blues, and the marker was a big one. It turned out to be the game-winner - and the third of five goals in a row - forcing a Game 7 on Monday night.

Weise is not only a goal scorer but a title holder:

"It's special," Weise said about being a Blackhawk. "It's a special group."

Game 7 on Monday night at 8:30 p.m. ET is going to be special, too.

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CHICAGO- Artem Anisimov, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Dale Weise scored during Chicago's dominant second period, and the Blackhawks beat the St. Louis Blues 6-3 on Saturday night to send their first-round playoff series to Game 7.

Andrew Shaw added a third-period goal in his return from a one-game suspension for using a gay slur during Chicago's 4-3 loss in Game 4. Andrew Ladd had a goal and an assist as the Blackhawks improved to 15-1 in their last 16 Game 6's in the playoffs.

Chicago trailed 3-1 in the series, but stayed alive with a 4-3 double-overtime victory in St. Louis on Thursday. Then, the defending Stanley Cup champions trailed 3-1 after one period in Game 6, but found a way again.

Game 7 is Monday night.

Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Pietrangelo and Scottie Upshall scored for St. Louis, which lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. Brian Elliott made 30 saves.

Trailing 3-1 after one and facing the possible end of their title defense, the Blackhawks roared back with perhaps their best period of the season.

With St. Louis center Kyle Brodziak in the box for hooking, Anisimov got Chicago within one when he poked home a rebound opportunity for his third goal of the series. That seemed to spark the Blackhawks, and Elliott made a couple of nice stops on Richard Panik and Marian Hossa to keep the Blues in front.

But Chicago only turned up the pressure from there.

Panik left the puck for a streaking Jonathan Toews, and the captain slid it over to van Reimsdyk for the tying goal at 12:21. Spurred on by a raucous crowd of 22,260, which stood and applauded for a whole TV timeout at one point, Chicago went ahead to stay when Artemi Panarin passed from behind the net to Weise for a one-timer at 16:18.

It was Weise's first goal since he was acquired in a trade with Montreal on Feb. 26. It also was his sixth career playoff score, including a pair of overtime winners during his time with the Canadiens.

Shaw's third goal of the series, a power-play tally off a slick pass from Patrick Kane, made it 5-3 at 16:53 of the third, and Hossa added an empty-netter.

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