Game-changer: Blues hoping Tarasenko can elevate team to playoff success

The NHL playoffs present a swirling mass of energy, emotion and intensity, not exactly the best environment for youngsters trying to make their mark in the league.

That hasn’t stopped St. Louis Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko from becomes one of the team’s top impact players in each of the past two postseasons. While both of those playoff runs resulted in a first-round loss, Tarasenko was most definitely not the reason for the early exit.

The 24-year-old Russian right winger has 10 goals and 11 points in 13 career playoff games, including six goals and seven points in six games a year ago against the Minnesota Wild.

Tarasenko welcomes this time of the year and can’t wait to get rolling for Wednesday’s playoff opener against Chicago Blackhawks.

“Even if you rest before games this atmosphere just pumps you up so hard, so there’s not really a big difference whether you start playing home or away,” said Tarasenko, who reached 40 goals for the first time this season and also had 74 points in 80 games as the Blues’ top scorer. “Every game is like a celebration and it’s really nice to be there. It probably makes me feel more serious and more confident.

“This is what we’re working for all year. This is a really exciting part of the year and you’re never tired for this part. You’re just having fun, can’t wait for Game 1.”

Tarsenko enters the playoffs on a hot streak with four goals in his final three regular-season games and eight points in his final five contests.

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said Tarasenko never shies away from the limelight. He thrives in the tough situations, even while knowing the opposition has geared some of its game plan toward stopping him.

“He’s not afraid of the stage,” Hitchcock said. “He doesn’t shirk any responsibility when it comes to playing when the lights shine the brightest. That’s what you really love about players like that, they’re not afraid to go out and play when this really matters.”

Another difference with Tarasenko?

“He loves to win,” Hitchcock said. “He knows it’s a good opponent and he’s got countrymen on the other side that want the same thing that he’s got, so there’s going to be extra motivation for him I’m sure.”

Hot vs. the Blackhawks

Tarasenko seems to enjoy games against the Blackhawks, too. The 16th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft had five goals in five games against the ‘Hawks this season, including two overtime game-winners.

In a 2-1 comeback overtime win last Thursday at United Center, Tarasenko scored the tying goal late in regulation and the the game-winner in OT. In 21 games against Chicago during his career, counting the playoffs, Tarasenko has 12 goals and 17 points.

Tarasenko has plenty of skills at his disposal, but one that sometimes gets overlooked because of all his scoring is his ability to see the game. He finds small openings, shoots at the tiniest bit of room given him by a goaltender and can fire his trademark sizzling wrist shots shots through traffic with the best of them.

“He’s an elite goal-scorer and when he gets those opportunities, it’s in the net,” Blues captain David Backes said of Tarasenko, who received an eight-year, $60 million contract extension last summer.

In 259 NHL games, Tarasenko has 106 goals and 209 points.

And even under the increased temperature of playoff hockey, when the stakes are at the highest, Tarasenko has still been able to elevate his game.

“I know I need to play through the stuff, through everything that’s happening around you,” he said. “You can’t have excuses after (it’s done), so you just have to play your game.”

That’s easy to say, but not easy to do.

Taking the next step

Tarasenko realizes the Blues count on him for offense, but says he puts as much or more pressure on himself to excel.

“The less you think, the better you play so I try to put some other stuff away from my head and be concentrated on my game and having success,” said Tarasenko, who enjoyed reaching a career-high with 40 goals this season. “It was a pretty good feeling, especially when the fans reacted that hard. Thanks again to my teammates for helping me reach the 40-goal mark. I need to have bigger goals for next season.”

Tarasenko always turns talk of his own stats and success to his biggest goal of all — winning a Stanley Cup.

The Blues were knocked out of the playoffs in the opening round in each of his first three seasons, though he got into only one game as a rookie in 2013.

“I think we’ve had enough of bad lessons the last couple or three years,” Tarasenko said. “Now I think we’ve learned enough to just go step by step.”

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Game-changer: Blues hoping Tarasenko can elevate team to playoff success."