T.J. Oshie tips in a shot from Kevin Shatterkirk to give the Blues a 2-0 lead in game four.  (courtesy/NHL.com)

T.J. Oshie tips in a shot from Kevin Shatterkirk to give the Blues a 2-0 lead in game four. (courtesy/NHL.com)

Following Tuesday night’s 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock admitted the defending Stanley Cup Champs kicked into a higher gear and the Blues couldn’t match. After jumping out to a 2-0 lead, the Blues couldn’t hold off the Kings and now this opening round series becomes a three-game playoff.

The Blues couldn’t have asked for a better start. Captain David Backes scored into an open net off a rebound off the boards from behind the net and T.J. Oshie scored his first playoff goal on a deflection, while on the power play, to give the Blues a 2-0 lead just 4:32 into the game.

The Kings answered with two goals catching the Blues in odd man rushes.

“They took the game to another level. Tonight we didn’t have answer,” said Hitchcock. “We made two mistakes, two really poor mistakes to give them odd-man rushes to get them back in the game. But even when it’s 3-2, they were playing better than we were.”

After Oshie’s second of the game put the Blues on top in the second, the Kings dominated. Anze Kopitar snapped a career-high 19-game goal-scoring drought with a tap-in at 7:14. Williams tipped Mike Richards’ shot from the left side that went in on the far side past Brian Elliott at 8:30.

Game five is Wednesday night, starting at 8 p.m. our time from St. Louis.