It's one of the NHL's oldest regional rivalries, officially born in the first major league expansion during the 1967-68 NHL season. On Wednesday, the St Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks will meet for the 335th time in each franchise's history. The Battle of I-55, since the two cities are linked by that particular highway, has had several great moments over the years, like many other NHL rivalries. Here are the 5 most iconic moments between the Blues and Hawks.
5. 2025 NHL Winter Classic: Blues def Hawks 4-1 at Wrigley Field
Last December's Winter Classic, the 2nd of two that year, was the 2nd time Chicago and St Louis had played outside, the first being back in the 2017 edition, which was played at the Cardinals' Busch Stadium, resulting in a 4-1 Blues victory, thanks to two 3rd period goals by superstar Vladimir Tarasenko. 7 years later, the Blues did it again at the home of the Chicago Cubs, led by a pair of goals from veteran defenseman Cam Fowler, who became the 1st NHL player to have his 1000th career game outside, and Justin Faulk, who also added a goal and 2 assists in a dominant 6-2 St Louis win. It marked the 3rd straight victory for the Blues in an outdoor game, and their 3-0 all-time record still stands, while Chicago dropped to 0-5 in outdoor contests.
4. Alexander Steen's 3OT Winner, Game 1, 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round
Though the Hawks eventually won the series in 6 games on home ice, Blues fans still remember how much of an instant classic Game 1 was between St Louis and the then-defending Stanley Cup champions. The Blues took the initial lead just shy of 5 minutes in, courtesy of RW Adam Cracknell, before Chicago answered at the 11-minute mark with Johnny Oduya. Chicago tapped in another goal just 3 minutes after that, with Brent Seabrook's PPG breaking the 1-1 tie. It wouldn't be long before St Louis tied it up again, however, with Vladimir Tarasenko knotting things at 2, before the Hawks retook the lead before the end of the opening 20 minutes from Patrick Kane. In the 2nd period, the lead was still 3-2 Chicago, before a dramatic game-tying goal by Jaden Schwartz with 1:45 left in regulation to send it to overtime. And these two teams needed not one, not two, but three extra 20-minute periods to decide a winner. Alexander Steen did just that for St Louis, needing just 26 seconds to win it.
3. The St. Patrick's Day Massacre, March 17, 1991: Blackhawks Edge Blues on 90s Fight Night
Turning back the clock, one of the most recognizable moments for any Blues fan born 30 or more years ago was the aptly named St Patrick's Day Massacre of 1991, where the Blackhawks fought off a physical Blues team in a 6-4 win at the old Chicago Stadium. The game became infamous by racking up 278 total penalty minutes, tied for the 19th most in league history behind a Flyers and Red Wings game 10 years prior. It all started when Blues defenseman Glen Featherstone went after Chicago star Jeremy Roenick after the latter had laid out fellow Blues defenseman Harold Snepsts. The Hawks' Keith Brown retaliated to Featherstone, and soon the two teams were engaged in an all out bench clearing brawl, leading to 6 players on each team eventually being ejected, and the Hawks' Mike Peluso and St Louis' Kelly Chase getting handed a 10 game suspension, and the two teams fined $10k each, which would be a little under $24,000 in today's money. Blues D Scott Stevens would also earn himself a suspension, but for only a pair of games. (Honestly, considering how rough he played the remainder of his career, that's awfully light.)
2. 1993 Norris Division Semifinals Upset: Blues Sweep Blackhawks in Game 4
Prior to this meeting, the Hawks had won 7 of the last 8 postseason duels with the Blues and were expected to advance in this one, too. However, no one could've predicted that St Louis came out swinging, en route to a shock 4-0 series sweep of the divisional champions. Not only that, but they completed the sweep in overtime on home ice at the old St Louis Arena, with Craig Janney being the hero in Game 4. And as if to add insult to injury, Brett Hull was the first man on the scoresheet from either side, since he was the son of Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull. Janney's overtime winner didn't go quietly either, adding to the mythos of the game, as Blackhawks goaltender Ed Belfour went on a rampage in the Blues' locker room post-game, destroying several pieces of equipment after he thought he'd been interfered with on Janney's goal with nothing called.
1. Former Hawk Ends Defending Champs' Run, Game 7, 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round
A series that probably didn't have to go the distance of 7 games, but did, former Blackhawks and Blues RW Troy Brouwer scored the go-ahead goal with under 9 minutes to play in regulation to send the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks packing early. Brouwer had spent the first 5 years of his eventual 14-year career with Chicago, winning the Cup in 2010, the team's first title since 1961. Brouwer moved on to Washington for the next 4 seasons before heading to St Louis ahead of the 2015/16 season, and that was the season where he sent his original team packing in the playoffs. Incredible. Not only did the Blues pull another postseason upset against their I-55 rivals, but they'd eventually reach their first Western Conference Finals in 14 years, sadly falling to that year's Stanley Cup Finals runner-up in the San Jose Sharks in 6 games.