Photo by: (Jeff Curry/NHLI via Getty Images)
Despite outshooting the Colorado Avalanche 43-18, the St. Louis Blues lost their fifth game in their past seven.
For Colorado, Semyon Varlamov stopped a season-high 42 shots to Jake Allen’s 15 stops in the game.
After the loss, the Blues fall to 17-10-4 with 38 points tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for second in the Central Division.
After a win over the Predators Saturday night, the Avs wasted little time getting on top in this matchup.
Petteri Lindbohm turned the puck over in the neutral zone to Mikhail Grigorenko as Grigorenko sent Jack Skille into the zone with the entry pass. Skille carried the puck and ripped a shot from the high slot past Allen to make it 1-0 Colorado 6:09 into the game.
Colorado added to its lead later in the first period about five minuted later. Alex Tanguay set up shop behind the Blues’ goal and sent a centering pass to John Mitchell on the top of the crease. The puck deflected off Mitchell’s leg to his stick as Mitchel fired a shot past the blocker of Allen to make it 2-0.
Following a scoreless second period, the Blues finally got on the board after Varlamov stopped 36 consecutive shots over 52:55 of play.
On the power play, Alexander Steen one-touched a pass to Kevin Shattenkirk at the point. Shattenkirk sent a shot on net that Varlamov stopped. David Backes was there to jam at it, but Varlamov stood tall on the rebound as well. Then, the puck squirted out to Vladamir Tarasenko who was there to net his team-leading 18th goal of the year to cut the deficit in half.
The goal proved not to be enough as Carl Soderberg added a tally with under a minute remaining in the game to close the deal.
St. Louis will play next against the Winnipeg Jets who are coming off a 2-0 defeat to the Blackhawks. The game is set for Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.
