CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks are taking a more direct approach to generating offence without injured star forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. So far, its working. Rookie Jeremy Morin scored and set up Patrick Sharps go-ahead goal in the second period, and injury-depleted Chicago held on to defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Sunday afternoon for its third straight win. The Blackhawks ground out the victory despite playing without Toews powerful skating and Kanes puck-handling skills for the third game. Forward Brandon Saad was a last-minute scratch. "Weve simplified our game quite a bit," said Sharp, who scored his team-leading 33rd goal. "Were not trying to make as many plays offensively. Were battling hard. "Usually when you battle hard individually and as a team, good things happen. Weve raised our battle level lately, but were just keeping things simple. Getting pucks in, getting pucks out." And some younger players, such as Morin, are getting more ice time and showing just how deep defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago is. "Im just taking it day by day every time Im in the lineup, trying to make the most of it," Morin said. "Were comfortable out there. "Im just playing the game right now and letting things come." Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith also scored for Chicago, which is two points behind Colorado for second place in the Central Division and home ice in the first round of the playoffs. The Blackhawks have three games left. The Avalanche, who lost in a shootout to Pittsburgh on Sunday night, have four games remaining. Toews, Chicagos captain, sat out his third game with an upper-body injury suffered last Sunday when he was drilled by Pittsburgh defenceman Brooks Orpik. Kane, who has resumed skating, missed his ninth with a lower-body injury suffered against the Blues on March 19. Toews and Kane are expected to return for the start of the playoffs. Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Sobotka connected for St. Louis, which lost its second straight and remained two points behind idle Boston for the NHLs overall point lead and race for the Presidents Trophy. Both the Blues and Bruins have four games remaining. Chicagos Corey Crawford made 21 saves and St. Louis Brian Elliott made 31. "We had moments where we did everything to ourselves and gave them opportunities really out of nothing," Elliott said. "Its a wake-up call right now and weve got to figure it out." The Blues skated without two of their top forwards, including leading goal scorer Alexander Steen who missed his third game with an upper-body injury. Vladimir Tarasenko has been sidelined since mid-March with a hand injury. The Blues, who were shut out by Colorado on Saturday, have scored two goals or fewer in eight of their past 10 games. St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said his team is looking a "little bit tired" and needs to "find a way to re-energize" and start skating, buzzing and shooting again in the offensive zone. "Our offensive game is based on offensive energy," Hitchcock said. "When we dont have it, we dont have near enough zone time. "We score by volume (of chances) and when we dont get the volume we dont score. The last couple of games we havent gotten the volume we normally get." Blues defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk agreed. "A lot of our offence comes when were grinding away down low," he said. "When were shooting, theres rebounds and were beating guys to pucks." Chicago dominated territorially in the chippy first period and outshot the Blues 11-3, but trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes. Schwartzs power-play goal at 1:57 of the first opened the scoring. After taking Brenden Morrows pass, Schwartz fired from the left circle, but his shot hit traffic in front of the net and bounded back to him. His second shot got through the screen and beat Crawford low. Crawford made a pad save on Patrik Berglunds short-handed breakaway attempt midway through the first. Elliott stopped several prime Chicago chances in the final minutes of the first as Chicago turned up the pressure. With 1:30 to go, he blocked a point-blank short-handed shot by Marian Hossa, who rocketed in alone past Blues defenceman Alex Pietrangelo. Morin tied it at 1 at 8:34 of the second, when he drove to the net and pushed in a rebound of Bryan Bickells shot. Bickell had picked off a pass at centre ice before cruising back into the Blues zone and firing from the left circle. Sharp put Chicago ahead 2-1 with 27 seconds left in the second when he completed a 2-on-1 break with Morin. Morin carried the puck down the right side, then passed to Sharp who fired a shot past Elliotts stick side from the left circle. Kruger made it 3-1 just 56 seconds into the third. Elliott got a piece of Joakim Nordstroms shot from the right wing, but the puck trickled to the left goal post. Kruger punched it in. Sobotka cut it to 3-2 with 2:02 left when his flipping shot from the left wing knuckled under Crawfords glove. Smith scored into an empty-net with 3.3 seconds left. NOTES: Blackhawks D Johnny Oduya sat out his third game with a lower-body injury. Healthy scratches for Chicago were D David Rundblad and forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Matt Carey. ... Blues scratches were defencemen Ian Cole and Jordan Leopold and F Dmitrij Jaskin. Josh Hart Jersey .com) - Jenny Boucek is the new head coach of the Seattle Storm. ETwaun Moore Jersey . -- Canadian Erik Bedard pitched into the fifth inning in his bid to win a spot in Tampa Bays rotation, helping the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Saturday. https://www.pelicanslockerroom.com/Customized/.DeMarco Murray got his 20th carry late in the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, not long after Dez Bryant made his final catch of the day.Sure enough, a 44-17 win over Washington didnt change Dallas post-season position. Zion Williamson Pelicans Jersey .Y. -- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire will have less time to remain eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot under changes made Saturday. Darius Miller Pelicans Jersey . - Whether its because of her improved play or the reason for it, Michelle Wie appears as comfortable on and off the golf course as at any time in her career.SIDAI OLENG WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, Kenya - At the foot of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, Kenyas famed Maasai warriors competed for honour and prestige, not by hunting lions but by running, jumping and throwing.The Maasai Olympics were created to encourage athletic competitions to replace the traditional lion-hunting as the way that young men can earn status in their society. Young Maasai men and women competed for prizes that included medals, cash, student scholarships, a prize bull and trips to participate in the New York marathon.Famed Maasai runner David Rudisha, world record holder in the 800 metres and 2012 Olympic gold medal winner, attended the third annual Maasai games Saturday.I am patron of the Masaai Olympics to demonstrate the killing lions is no longer the way, said Rudisha before the competition. We Maasai have a future as great runners. We must run — not kill the king of beasts — to eaarn our manhood and to win our brides in future.ddddddddddddThe events of the Maasai games were based on traditional skills: three running events of 200 metres, 800 metres and 5,000 metres; throwing a spear (javelin) for distance; throwing a club for accuracy; and the high jump, not in Olympic fashion but in Maasai warrior-style, a vertical jump from a standing position.Young Masaai women also competed in 100 metre and 1,500 metre races.The new Maasai competition was created to help conserve Kenyas lion population — which has declined from 250,000 40 years ago to 35,000 today.Lion killing is finished, said Kimani Oltalesoi, spiritual leader of the Masaai, in a documentary. We must protect our wildlife like we do our livestock. If we dont our way of life will be destroyed.___Follow AP photographers and photo editors on Twitter: —https://twitter.com/AP/lists/ap-photographers/members ' ' '