– Photo by Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty Images
After two straight losses including a heartbreaker to the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis defeated the Arizona Coyotes 2-1.
Jake Allen and Brian Elliott struggled against Columbus letting up a combined seven goals against. Elliott started against Chicago, so it was Allen’s turn in between the pipes and he recorded his 16th win of the season and stopped 21 out of 22 shots faced.
On the offensive end, Alexander Steen and Dmitrij Jaskin each added goals to lift the Blues past Arizona.
With the win, St. Louis now sits at 35-14-4 and is second in the Central Division with 74 points.
Jori Lehtera returned to action for the first time since suffering an injury Jan. 29 against Nashville. Lehtera posted two shots and finished at a -1 on the night.
Despite the win for the Blues, Arizona got off to a hot start. Martin Erat chipped the puck off the boards to Sam Gagner headed in on a two-on-one. Gagner delayed and got Alex Pietrangelo to slide to the ice hoping to take away the passing lane for Gagner. That was now problem as Gagner took the shot and beat Allen to put Arizona out in front 1-0 with 15:18 remaining in the first period.
The Blues finally got on the board with 4:50 remaining in the opening period. Steen redirected a pass to David Backes heading into the offensive zone. Backes sent the puck across the width of the ice to T.J. Oshie in stride who shot on Mike Smith. Smith stopped the first attempt, but Steen was there to put back the rebound to tie the game at one headed into the first intermission.
Steen now has 18 goals on the season and is second on the team with 45 points in 52 games behind Vladamir Tarasenko with 53.
The Blues stayed in the offensive end in the second period outshooting the Coyotes 14-4 in the period.
St. Louis struck again as Jaskin carried the puck out of the defensive zone with speed. Jaskin went in on a two-on-one with Patrik Berglund to his left, but Jaskin kept it him self and sent a back hand shot in on net. The shot squeaked by Smith for Jaskin’s 7th of the season to give the Blues a 2-1 lead with 8:52 remaining in the second period.
The goal by Jaskin would prove to be all Allen would need in net as he turned aside all 13 shots faced in the third period to seal the win.
St. Louis will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning on the road Thursday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 C.T.
