Photo by: (Jeff Curry/NHLI via Getty Images)
Following a road win agains the Winnipeg Jets, the Blues earned their second consecutive win for the first time in December with a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators.
David Backes and Vladamir Tarasenko both tallied goals in the third period to overcome a 1-0 deficit through two periods.
In between the pipes, Jake Allen had a strong start with 27 stops on 28 shots en route to the win.
Following the victory, the Blues now hold sole possession of second place in the Central Division with a record of 19-10-4 with 42 points. St. Louis is ahead of Minnesota by two points, but the Wild have three games at hand while the Blues trail the Dallas Stars by six points.
The Blues have the second best penalty kill at 87.4 percent, but the power play of the Predators bested them in the first period.
Nashville worked the puck around the umbrella to Filip Forsberg. Forsberg showed poise and threaded a pass to Roman Josi who one-timed a slap shot into the back of the net. The goal marked Josi’s eighth of the season and put the Predators in front 1-0 with 12:46 left in the first period.
After a scoreless second period, the Blues got on the board in a big way after not scoring in 42:38.
The play opened up on four-on-four as Alex Pietrangelo fired a shot toward the goal mouth. Backes got free and deflected the puck past Pekka Rinne for the goal to tie the game at one.
But, the Blues weren’t done as once again Tarasenko came through.
On the power play, Tarasenko came out from the corner and passed to Alexander Steen at the point. Steen gave it right back to Tarasenko who held the puck before shooting a low shot just over the left pad of Rinne for the goal.
The Blues look to make it three straight against the Calgary Flames at home Saturday, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m.
