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Vladimir Tarasenko learned he will be playing in the 2016 All-Star Game before the game started. To celebrate, he tallied a couple points in a 4-3 overtime loss against the Colorado Avalanche.
Matt Duchene tallied his 19th goal of the season 4:48 into the first period. He caught Jake Allen cheating on a 2-on-1, and a backhand lift found its way past the tender to give the Avalanche an early 1-0 lead.
Vladimir Tarasenko used a stutter-step move to enter the Avalanche’s zone and pass a defender. He cut back to the middle before snapping it past Semyon Varlamov. The tying goal was Tarasenko’s 24th of the season, which puts him at the lead league in goals along with the Dallas Star’s Jamie Benn.
The Blues found themselves on the power play late in the first period. Tarasenko circled around the offensive zone and around the net before finding David Backes isolated in front. Backes bumped it in to tally his 11th goal of the season.
Patrik Berglund pressured an Avalanche defensemen into coughing up the puck at the red line. He picked up the puck while picking up speed. He and Backes entered the zone on a 2-on-1. Berglund caught Varlamov by surprise as he snapped the puck between his legs and into the net. Patrik’s goal was his first of the season (third game).
Mikhail Grigorenko passed the Blues defense for a showdown with Allen. He hesitated before roofing the puck with a wristshot to cut the Blues’ lead to 3-2.
With less than two minutes left in regulation, Nathan MacKinnon threw the puck on net from the corner. Allen lost it and it went in through his legs to tie the game and send it into overtime.
The Blues gave up their fourth third period lead in their fourth consecutive loss. They haven’t won a game in regulation in the last eight games.
In overtime, Francois Beauchemin flipped the puck into the Blues’ defensive zone, and Allen took off. He tried a diving poke-check on John Mitchell, who simply tapped it around him. With Shattenkirk in net and all the time in the world, he passed it to Gabriel Landeskog, who scored the game winner on an empty net.
The Blues will face the Ducks in Anaheim on Friday, 9:00 p.m. They need to break this losing streak.
Photo: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
