Photo by: (AP Photo/Billy Hurst)
Despite a close game much of the night, a third-period goal by Chris Kreider was enough to lift the Rangers past the St. Louis Blues 2-1.
Even in the loss, Jake Allen made 21 stops, but Henrik Lunqvist shined with 35 stops on 36 shots.
Following the loss, the Blues drop to 35-19-9 for 79 points. The Blues remain three points behind the Dallas Stars and two points behind the Chicago Blackhawks in the Central Division.
In the first period, the Blues attempted to clear the puck out of the zone, but Dan Girardi was at the point to keep the puck in the zone. Girardi fired it on net as Tanner Glass deflected the puck while being shoved in the back by Carl Gunnarsson for the goal. The tally put the Rangers up 1-0 with 6:46 left in the period.
In the second, the Blues struck back.
With the Blues on the power play, Jay Bouwmeester found a seam to Paul Stastny who shot in on Lundqvist. Troy Brouwer crashed the net and snuck the puck over the goal line to tie the game at one.
The game remained tied into the third period until Oscar Lindberg entered the attacking zone. Lindberg battled along the boards and slipped to one knee, but he was able to spin and find Kreider who whistled a shot past Allen for the goal.
The score held as the Rangers scored the two points in the game.
Next up for the Blues is a matchup against Saturday Feb. 27 on the road.
