Photo by: (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)
After stopping just 12 shots, Jake Allen was taken out of the game as the Blues lost to the Florida Panthers 3-1.
Derek MacKenzie scored a pair of goals to help life Florida past St. Louis for the Panthers’ third win in a row.
With the loss, the Blues fall to 15-7-3 and sit third in the Central Division. St. Louis is now three points behind the division-leading Dallas Stars by five points. Previously, the Blues had won six straight against the Panthers. Now, St. Louis is just 4-4-2 in its last 10 games after a hot start to the season.
After a scoreless first period, the Panthers got on the board first.
In the attacking zone, Vladamir Tarasenko attempted a pass, but Alexsander Barkov intercepted the pass. Barkov sent a long stretch pass to Brandon Pirri in behind the defense. Pirri deked and slid the puck under Allen’s pad to make it 1-0 with 7:42 remaining in the period.
Florida answered again just 13 seconds later.
Off the face off, the puck went in deep into the Blues end. Allen came out to play the puck off the end boards that bounced to Steve Ott. But, Ott lost the handle and MacKenzie turned and fired a slap shot high past Allen for his second of the year.
The goals kept coming as St. Louis scored just 21 seconds later.
Robby Fabbri gained entry into the attacking end and drew two defenders to him. He slid the puck to David Backes who spun and fired a shot past Roberto Luongo to cut the deficit in half.
In just 0:34 of play, the Blues and Panthers combined for three goals after going the previous 22:18 scoreless.
But, Florida added another goal later in the second period that put the Panthers out in front for good.
The Blues will be back on the ice against the New York Islanders Friday, Dec. 4. Puck drop from the Barclays Center is set for 6:30 p.m.
