Hochman: The Blues Maroon is the pride of his hometown while Big Rig lands in Big D | Benjamin Hochman

Patrick Maroon scored the winning goal with 1m38 to play in Match 3, separating these two teams after another tight fight. St. Louis leads 2-1 now. Game 4 is Wednesday.

And the way he scored the goal was perfectly Patty. The "Big Rig" pushed Esa Lindell, the former Dallas player, on the ice – "the guy fell," explained Maroon after – and received a perfectly placed puck and hoisted him into the upper corner, disconcerting his compatriot from St. Louis. The hockey hero, Ben Bishop, finalist of the Vézina Trophy, is prepared at Chaminade. Lindell's play may have been dirty, from Dallas's point of view, but simply mischievous from St. Louis's point of view. And there was that smile, that big Patty smile that was well deserved after Gloria's glorious and inspiring goal.

"I think I just had more time to use my hands," Maroon said of his shot, which looked like a "shot over the 90", if you mix the sport in St. Louis. "Usually, I muffle in the pads, but I did it quickly. I worked there in practice. Just take it from the back of the net to try to lift. "

The resilience and determination of the Blues are becoming legendary this spring, and the Maroon line, with Tyler Bozak and Robert Thomas, is an example. Of course, there are still two games left to win in this series – and yes, the only reason the aforementioned resilience and relentlessness were mentioned is that the Blues have let Dallas back into the game – but we do not not so much in sports, do you? The Blues do not lose on the road. At home too, occasionally. But they are 4-0 in the playoffs for the first time on the road, following Monday's bonkers game, which was more of a boxing match, won with Maroon's goal. Blues 4, stars 3.

"I think our team is doing a very good job of responding now," said Maroon, whose team continued to take the lead and then lose the lead. "We have this belief system that is really weird, but we feel like we can always find a way to win hockey games. And you have to admit that the Stars have rebounded well, but we had the advantage of doing more. We kept pushing, we never gave up. We did not let them take the momentum. … it was crazy. I think both teams have responded very well. I'm just glad we won. "

And now, Maroon has two playoff goals for St. Louis – and some thought he would not even play in the playoffs. He did not score in his first 15 games with the home team after his signing in the summer. He was a healthy scratch a few times. He had difficulties and the team had difficulties. Many were wondering at his January bobblehead party – Maroon driving a big platform – if he would even be on the team by then.

But he was resilient, and now he is a local hero, and this almost looks like one of those situations of Ferris Bueller ("The girlfriend of the best friend's boyfriend's brother, that of my best friend, heard about this guy who knows this kid with a girl who saw Pat Maroon at Ted Drewes last night ").

Really, this lineage of Maroon, Bozak and Thomas deserves so much praise. Before game 3 and the series tied, coach Craig Berube took a risk. He shook the lines. Some lines. He brought Jaden Schwartz to the front row. Reconfigured members on the second line. But Berube did not touch this third line. This thing is a motor. My goodness, this line has been good all night. Cycling, passing, grinding.

"We talked online," said Maroon. "We reviewed some things that we had to do better: in the first two games we had not managed our match. And I think tonight our line is below the top of the circles, crushing, wearing their D. And we really did a good job. And we must continue that. "

On the other hand, Stars coach Jim Montgomery was impressed and was even stunned by what he saw.

"That line, no matter who we pitched against them," said Montgomery. "They seemed to have their way with us. We must do a better job by taking the time and space. We need to get our second layer faster, which means that when they move it and we are able to put pressure on the puck, somebody has to come in there to win that lost puck battle. "

When it was over, Maroon was sitting in front of his locker, his hair bristling with sweat, a towel around his neck. The fighter did not fight Monday night. But he delivered the knockout.