Photo by: Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images
After all of the offseason question marks and concern after yet another early playoff exit, the St. Louis Blues won their fourth straight game.
The Blues are now 5-1-0 after a 3-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets on the road.
After the win, the Blues have earned sole possession of first place in the Central Division with 10 points.
After signing a massive eight-year contract extension, Vladamir Tarasenko is cashing in on the ice as well.
Jori Lehtera carried the puck through the neutral zone before giving it to Dmitrij Jaskin. Jaskin entered the zone and dropped the puck to Tarasenko who delayed and moved around Dustin Byfuglien before shooting high past Ondrej Pavelec. The goal put the Blues out in front just 3:27 into the second period.
Winnipeg wasted little time bringing the score even again.
With the Jets on the power play, Blake Wheeler held the puck patiently below the goal line. Carl Gunnarsson laid his stick down on the ice to try to cut off the passing lane, but Wheeler sauced a pass over the stick of Gunnarsson right to Mathieu Perrault wide open in the slot. Perrault scored on Brian Elliott for his first of the season to tie the game with 15:29 remaining in the second period.
Back and forth they went as the Blues struck next to retake the lead.
Jaskin tallied his second assist of the night as Scottie Upshall put it past Pavelec for Upshall’s second as a member of the St. Louis Blues. The goal made it 2-1 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the second frame.
The goal scoring wasn’t done in the second period though as Drew Stafford knotted the game back up at a two with a wrist shot assisted by Nikilaj Ehlers and Mark Sheifele.
After scoring the first goal of the game, Tarasenko wasn’t done as he notched his second of the game and fifth of the season. This time, the assists came from Gunnarsson and Scott Gomez.
Tarasenko’s pair of goals puts him in a four-way tie for the league lead in goals this season.
For insurance, Colton Parayko took a shot that Gunnarsson tipped into the net for his first of the year to make it 4-2 late in the third period.
After taking four of the first five games on the road trip, St. Louis looks to close the trip out against the undefeated Montreal Canadiens Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
