Bill Boyce / AP

The Canucks' Mattias Ohlund celebrates his goal against St. Louis in Game 3.

The Blues were outshot 11-3 the first 12-plus minutes of the period before rallying on McDonald’s tying goal at 16:13. McDonald banged three shots off the goal post or crossbar in the Canucks’ 3-0 Game 2 victory, also Luongo’s first career playoff shutout, before finally beating the goalie off a blistering cross-ice feed from David Perron to tie it at 16:13.

David Backes’ first goal in six games gave the Blues their first lead of the series. McDonald got the puck in deep after passing off the boards to himself, and Backes scored off Brad Boyes’ feed from behind the net at 3:11 of the first.

St. Louis missed many more chances, though, totaling just three shots in 6:34 of power play time while rarely getting a chance to set up shop in the offensive zone. That included 1:26 with a two-man advantage after Willie Mitchell was whistled for a double minor midway through the period.

“To get that lead, to keep the crowd energized, was huge,” Backes said. “A few other chances that we don’t throw in the back of the net, and it ends up biting us in the butt.”

Notes: Blues F Yan Stastny skated in the pregame after being recalled from Peoria (AHL) earlier in the day, but was among the scratches. ... The Canucks scratched C Mats Sundin, who got the first goal in Vancouver’s 3-0 Game 2 victory but has been nursing a groin injury. Sundin practiced Saturday before the flight to St. Louis. Vigneault said Sundin’s status is “day to day” heading into Game 4. ... Backes had five goals in two games earlier this month, including four against the Red Wings on April 2, but had been limited to one assist in his previous five games.

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