St. Louis Post-Dispatch - March 13, 1990

Brind'Amour Returns, Plays Key Role

by a Staff Correspondent

fter being benched Saturday night, rookie Rod Brind'Amour returned to the lineup Sunday night in grand style. The Blues' Calder Trophy candidate scored a key goal in the Blues' come-from-behind 6-4 victory over the Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium. Brind'Amour beat former Blues goalie Greg Millen in a goal-mouth scramble with one second remaining in the second period.

The goal, Brind'Amour's 24th, cut the Blackhawks' 4-2 lead to one going into the final period and set the stage for a three-goal rally in the third.

''Roddie's was the biggest goal of the game,'' said Peter Zezel, who suffered a bruised hip eight minutes into the game and did not return. Brind'Amour played the entire game at center after playing most of the season at left wing. Blues coach Brian Sutter made the move to help ease the frustration that recently has sidetracked Brind'Amour.

He had not scored a goal since the Feb. 24 game at Quebec, with only two assists since then. He was benched in the third period of games at New Jersey and Detroit, then scratched for Saturday night's game against the Blackhawks at The Arena. It was the first time this season he had been scratched. Being back in the lineup and playing center lifted Brind'Amour's play. ''I kind of figured I was going to play today, but I didn't know for sure,'' he said. ''I was pretty happy I got to play center. That's my natural position. I feel at home there. I felt so comfortable there. ''I'm glad to help the team win. Everybody contributed.''

Sutter said scratching Brind'Amour on Saturday may have been the best thing for him. ''It's something we should have done a few weeks ago, sit him down and rest him,'' Sutter said. ''Roddie works so hard every night. He's so intense, but he puts so much pressure on himself.''

Sutter said Brind'Amour's recent funk had nothing to do with the physical rigors of the National Hockey League schedule. Last season at Michigan State, Brind'Amour played only 46 games. ''It's not that he's physically tired,'' Sutter said Saturday. ''It's just that he's mentally maybe a little tired. He's pressing, and this is a tough time of year to be pressing and get away with it. The games tighten up, and there's less open ice to play with.'' Brind'Amour, the Blues' No. 1 draft pick in 1988, has dropped to fifth in rookie scoring with 54 points, on 24 goals and 30 assists in 68 games.