– Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images
After going down two games to one, the Blues answered back with a six-goal performance defeating the Minnesota Wild 6-1 in game four.
The win for St. Louis ties the series at two games a piece with the next game headed back to the Scottrade Center for game five.
Offensively, the Blues scored just six goals in the first three games of the series. St. Louis notched that total in just one game led by Vladamir Tarasenko. In his past ten playoff games dating back to last year, Tarasenko has nine playoff goals including five in his past four games to lead the team. The six goals allowed this game are the most the Wild have ever allowed in a playoff game.
On the other end of the ice, Jake Allen got the start and stopped 17 out of 18 shots faced. Allen is expected to start in game five.
In the first period, Ryan Reaves dumped the puck back in deep after a shot wide by Alex Pietrangelo. The puck cycled back to Pietrangelo at the point who passed to Reaves at the blue line. Reaves rocketed a slap shot through a screen and into the back of the net for his first career playoff goal in 18 playoff games. The goal gave the Blues the 1-0 lead with 14:21 remaining in the first period.
St. Louis wasted little time before adding to its lead. Just over a minute later, David Backes entered the attacking zone with the puck and slid it back to Kevin Shattenkirk at the blue line. Shattenkirk delayed before send a wrist shot on net that Tarasenko tipped past Devan Dubnyk for the goal.
But the Blues weren’t done in the first period. T.J. Oshie dumped the puck into the zone as Berglund went into the corner to corral the puck back to Oshie. Shattenkirk took the pass from Oshie and shot on net. Dubnyk made the first save, but Backes was there to stuff home the rebound making it 3-0 midway through the first period.
Minnesota cut the lead on the power play with a goal from Jared Spurgeon early in the second period, but the Blues answered right back.
Just 3:39 into the second period, Pietrangelo blocked a shot in the defensive zone leading to a transition opportunity for St. Louis. Berglund passed to Stastny entering the zone who shot low to the blocker side for his first goal of the playoffs making it 4-1.
The Blues weren’t done and neither was Tarasenko as he notched his second goal of the game. Jori Lehtera sent a perfect pass threading the defense. The pass sent Tarasenko in on a breakaway as he deked before sliding the puck one-handed through the legs of Dubnyk.
Berglund added another goal later in the period to help seal the win for the Blues. The goal ended the night for Dubnyk as Darcy Kuemper entered the game, but it was no matter.
Game five will be back in St. Louis on Friday, Apr. 24 at 8:30 p.m. CT.
