Ken Hitchcock's decision to start Jake Allen over Brian Elliott in Game 4 against the San Jose Sharks was puzzling, but not at all surprising.

The St. Louis Blues head coach gave a predictable explanation for the switch that will take effect Saturday night.

"We're playing a team that's got a bead in their game and focus in their game that's been around for seven games now," Hitchcock told reporters Friday. "We've got to change momentum here. They've been dialing in with this game for seven games now.

"I think if we expect to trot out with just a little bit better effort and expect to see a change, I think that would be misleading. We're not going to change that. We're going to have to change momentum in a real positive way with probably a little bit more drama to it, and we're going to have to find people that can help us do that."

Hitchcock used the word "momentum" nine times in Friday's media availability, and it's easy to understand why.

The Blues need to do something, as they trail the Western Conference final series 2-1 after being shut out in back-to-back games. They were outscored 7-0 in those losses, and 8-2 in the series, but their problem is not between the pipes.

St. Louis outshot San Jose in Games 2 and 3, but Sharks goalie Martin Jones stopped all 48 attempts he faced in the two contests combined. The Sharks and Blues were virtually even in shot attempts in all situations in Game 2, with St. Louis having more than San Jose at even-strength as well as in all situations in Game 3.

The Blues' power play has gone ice-cold, failing to score in eight consecutive opportunities since David Backes' opening goal in Game 1.

Vladimir Tarasenko was held without a point in all three contests after notching seven points in six games against the Dallas Stars, while Alex Steen has been held off the scoresheet in his last four and has only a single point in his last six games.

Elliott has started all 17 games for the Blues in these playoffs, going 9-8 with a 2.34 GAA, a .925 save percentage, and one shutout.

Allen ceded the starting job to Elliott when the veteran returned from injury late in the regular season, and Allen has made only two postseason appearances this spring, adding up to less than a full game in the crease.

Changing the starting goalie is an all too familiar NHL coaching tactic, but the only goaltending problem the Blues currently have is figuring out how to solve Jones.

(Analytics courtesy: HockeyStats.ca)

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Inside the Pittsburgh Penguins room after Game 4, most would rue at least one decision, play, or moment after the club narrowly fell short in their crusade to erase a four-goal third-period deficit.

Of course, this task wouldn't have been a challenge for Kris Letang.

The premier defender, and arguably the Penguins' most important skater, briefly lost his mind in a scrum with Brian Boyle and others Friday after touching up on a delayed penalty by rimming a puck high along the glass near two Lightning forwards.

A rough, and a cross check later, and the Penguins were in defense of a double-minor penalty they only successfully defended for three minutes.

"He's too important to our team, and that's what I told him," head coach Mike Sullivan said.

"We would like him to respond differently to that circumstance, and he will moving forward."

Just seconds before Letang's blow-up, his importance illuminated further.

Pittsburgh lost the player who logs the second-most ice behind Letang, Trevor Daley, when he was helped off the ice after suffering a potentially serious lower leg injury.

As a result, and even after sitting for a three-minute stretch in the second, Letang racked up almost 32 minutes.

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Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Trevor Daley exited Amalie Arena with the assistance of crutches Friday after suffering a potentially serious lower leg injury as the result of contact along the end boards from Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Callahan.

Head coach Mike Sullivan didn't offer an official update, but Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos reports the "initial fears" inside the organization is that the top-four defenseman suffered a fracture ankle.

Daley was significantly hobbled after the collision, unable to use his left leg as leverage to get back onto his skates.

His loss presents a massive hit to the Penguins, who have relied on Daley for 23 minutes per game throughout the postseason. He's also chipped in with six points in the offensive end.

Sullivan told reporters he will have an update Saturday.

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TAMPA, Fla. - Ryan Callahan provided an early spark, Andrei Vasilevskiy made two big saves in the closing minutes to avoid a total third-period collapse and the Tampa Bay Lightning held on for a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Callahan tipped a shot past goalie Matt Murray just 17 seconds into the game. Andrej Sustr, Jonathan Drouin and Tyler Johnson also scored and the Lightning rebounded from being badly outplayed in the previous two games to even the series 2-2 heading back to Pittsburgh for Game 5 on Sunday.

Vasilevskiy had a 4-0 lead entering the third period, but the Penguins didn't give up. Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin scored to give Pittsburgh hope, and Chris Kunitz's power-play goal trimmed the deficit to one with just under 7 minutes remaining.

Related: Malkin outwaits Lightning for 1st goal in 9 games

Tampa Bay was outshot 16-7 over the final 20 minutes after dominating the first two periods.

Marc-Andre Fleury replaced Murray in goal for the Penguins at the start of the third, and Kessel's team-leading eighth goal began the rally that just fell short.

Related: Penguins start Fleury for 3rd period vs. Lightning

The Lightning were outshot 89-49 in the previous two games, a disparity that coach Jon Cooper called ''unacceptable'' after the Penguins took a 2-1 series lead.

But the experience of the highs of lows of last year's playoff run to the Stanley Cup final has served the defending conference champions well over the past month.

While acknowledging there was a sense of urgency to play better, Cooper and his players insisted the team was not overly discouraged after being badly outplayed in Games 2 and 3 because they been down in series before and found ways to come back.

Callahan's first goal since Game 3 of the Lightning's second-round win over the New York Islanders got them rolling. Sustr's second career playoff goal - first this postseason - made it 2-0 at 14:28 of the opening period.

Drouin and Johnson scored in the second to build the lead to 4-0, with Drouin's goal coming with a minute left in a four-minute power play that Penguins were unable kill with defenseman Kris Letang in the penalty box for cross-checking and roughing.

Related: Lightning's Drouin scores 3rd goal in 4 Conference Final games

The Penguins, relentless in Game 3 when they took 48 shots en route to a 4-2 victory, were unable to convert a couple of good scoring chances in the first period and had limited opportunities until finally cracking Vasilevskiy in the third.

Kessel scored at 1:18 of the third period, beating Vasilevskiy from above the right circle. The goal was his team-leading eighth of the playoffs, with Nick Bonino and Brian Dumoulin picking up assists.

Malkin scored at 11:13 and the Penguins drew closer when Kunitz added his goal with 6:52 remaining.

Murray stopped 26 of 30 shots through two periods. Fleury finished with seven saves.

Notes: Injured Lightning captain Steven Stamkos continues to practice, however there's still no definitive timetable for a possible return from surgery for a blood clot discovered near his right collarbone. ''I'm hoping to, but there's still a real possibility that I may not play at all in the playoffs. It's tough when you have two different parts of the spectrum,'' Stamkos said. ''It's either you're going to be able to play or it's just not safe to play. So we still haven't come to that decision yet. That's going to take a lot of information gathering and a lot of different opinions.'' ... Penguins RW Patric Hornqvist played after missing the closing minutes of Game 3, when he was shaken up blocking a shot. ... Both teams went 1 of 4 on power-play opportunities.

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Mitch Marner is off and running in Red Deer.

The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect is wrapping up a successful season by playing with his London Knights at the Memorial Cup tournament featuring the top teams in junior hockey.

Marner, who was named MVP of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, starred in Friday's opener by recording two goals and three assists against the host Rebels, and did so in style.

Between the regular season, playoffs, and this Memorial Cup contest, Marner has registered 165 points in 76 games this season.

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(Courtesy: NHL.com)

At last, Geno.

Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin broke his nine-game goalless slump in the third period Friday night, showing great patience before beating Andrei Vasilevskiy with a high wrister.

The goal was Malkin's first since Game 1 of the second round.

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There was no love lost between Brian Boyle and Kris Letang in Game 4.

With both players in the penalty box following a second-period skirmish, the Tampa Bay Lightning forward poked fun at attempts by the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman to draw a penalty.

Don't hurt your neck in the process, Boyle.

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Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Trevor Daley left Game 4 after a collision with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Callahan.

Daley appeared to be favoring his left knee while being helped to the Penguins' dressing room.

If Daley is unable to return, it's a major blow to the Penguins blue line. He's contributed six points in 14 games, while earning nearly 23 minutes of ice time.

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