Photo by: (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The St. Louis Blues have tallied just six goals in their past three games. Fortunately enough for Blues’ fans, the defense and goaltending has been there as they only gave up three goals in those three games. However, against the Coyotes, the offense was there to tally a 6-4 victory.
The spread out scoring also resulted in six different players scoring a goal for St. Louis and 12 players tallying at least a point.
The victory is bitter-sweet for the Blues as Alexander Steen left the game with an apparent upper-body injury in the first period. He did not return to the action.
After the win, St. Louis still sits third in the Central Division with 35-17-9 with 79 points. Also, the Stars lost to the Boston Bruins 7-3, so Dallas is now only up one point with a game at hand. The Blues now trail the Blackhawks by two point as well.
Despite the win, the Blues started the opening shift slow as Shane Doan netted his 22nd goal of the season. But, the Blues’ offense picked up right after that moment with four straight first period goals.
Less than a minute later with St. Louis on the power play, Kevin Shattenkirk held the puck at the point. Shattenkirk slid the puck over to Vladamir Tarasenko who wired a shot into the upper right corner with David Backes screened Louis Dominique in front.
The Blues kept up the pressure with just over 15 minutes left in the period as Alexander Steen carried the puck into the attacking end with speed. Steen swung wide and fired from the tough angle. Somehow, Steen was able to lift the puck over the left shoulder of Domingue to give the Blues their first lead of the game, 2-1.
Less than four minutes later, Tarasenko entered the offensive zone and pulled the puck back to his forehand going to his left. Tarasenko fired, again from a tough angle. But, the puck trickled through Domingue and straddled the goal line where Jaden Schwartz was there to put it home to make it 3-1.
Carl Gunnarsson made it 4-1 late in the first period as the Blues appeared to be running away with it. But, the Coyotes fought back in the second period.
The Blues attempted to clear the puck, but Kevin Connauton intercepted the attempt and sent a slow wrister in on net. The shot seemed to surprise Brian Elliott as the puck sailed past his glove into the net bringing Arizona within two.
Arizona kept the game close and brought it closer in the third period.
Connauton again made plays this time with another shot on net. Jay Bouwmeester blocked the puck down with his stick, but the rookie, Max Domi, was there and moved to his left. As Bouwmeester pushed Domi down from behind, Domi slid the puck under the outstretched Elliott to bring the game to 4-3 just 50 seconds into the third period.
The Blues answered back midway through the third as Scottie Upshall skipped a pass in on net. Patrik Berglund went hard to the far post and deflected it past Dominque for the goal making it 5-3. The goal ended Dominque’s night as he finished with 30 saves on 35 shots.
The Coyotes answered back as Domi tallied his 17th of the season, but the Blues held Arizona off in the final seconds as Backes found the empty netter making it 6-4.
Next up for St. Louis, is a matchup against the San Jose Sharks Monday Feb. 22 from the Scottrade Center.
