Preview: The St. Louis Blues (33-28-7) face the Nashville Predators (25-33-8) and will play their Central Division rival three times in the next 10 days. The Blues have been hot in March, now 5-2-1 in the month and 8-2-2 since the 4 Nations break, and have worked their way back into the playoff contention. The team is now tied with the Vancouver Canucks in points, however the Canucks currently maintain the second Wild Card spot having played one less game. Nashville is in 7th place in the Central Division.
The forward and defensive lineup has no change…Joel Hofer starts between the pipes for the Blues, and Juuse Saros is in the net for Nashville.
Blues go up by 2 in period 1…
The Blues go on the powerplay 4:42 into the period…a tripping penalty drawn by Nick Leddy. The PP is 5 for 9 in the last few games. 5 minutes in the Blues with the only shots on goal…3…and on their 4th shot, Justin Faulk one times one from the top of the faceoff circle and it finds the back of the net. Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours get the assists at 6:04. 1 to 0 Blues. Faulk’s 3rd of the year.
Tyler Tucker gets whistled for an interference penalty with 11:25 left. Preds are 4 for their last 14 PPs. Blues have killed 9 in a row. Predators get 2 shots and the Blues kill their 10th in a row.
Blues go back to the powerplay with 7:33 left as Pavel Buchnevich draws a hooking penalty just after he makes a pass into traffic (why??)—no shots on the powerplay.
The Blues score off the rush…a great zone exit by Faulk, a drop pass to Robert Thomas back to Faulk who passes to a wide open Neighbours who backhands it past Saros …Jake’s 19th and it’s 2-zip with just under 2 minutes left.
Blues out shoot Nashville 8 to 7. Hofer with some great stops over the last few minutes of the period.
Nashville scores late…but Blues still up by 2 after the 2nd period…
Buchnevich takes a head hit behind the net and Neighbours comes to his defense, dropping the gloves against the Preds' larger player…the hit is reviewed for a 5-minute major penalty…and it is confirmed! Buchnevich helped to the bench and headed to the locker room. All this happening at 6:14…4 on 4 for 2 minutes and then the Blues will get a 3-minute powerplay. Hofer with a breakaway save on the 4 on 4. Blues get 2 shots on the 3-minute PP. Jake Neighbours with the Gordie Howe hat trick early in the 2nd period.
Note…Blues have the fewest powerplay attempts in the league.
Hofer again coming up with a few big saves down the stretch of the period.
Jordan Kyrou with a button hook and a spinning wrist shot from the faceoff circle flips one past the goalie stick side…his 28th of the year. Cam Fowler and Holloway with the assists. Blues up 3 to 0 with 1:10 left.
Nashville throws a one-timer shot from the top of the circle as the time expires…and it is a goal at 19:59 to make it 3 to 1. Hofer, with not much of a chance and he has been good as the Blues have had 10 d-zone turnovers.
Blues still up in shots 16 to 15.
Blues add on in the 3rd...
Blues are 27-2-1 when leading after 2 periods.
Buchnevich returned to the ice…didn’t play for the final 13+ minutes of the 2nd period.
At 2:10, a Preds player takes exception to a check by Tucker, and Tyler pounds him! Tucker gets an extra 2 minutes for a check to the head…why Tucker got an extra 2 minutes for roughing is odd…a terrible call as the Predators get a PP. Score remains 3 to 1.
Blues to the powerplay with 12:56 left. A holding penalty was called against Nashville. Blues get 1 shot on the PP.
With 6:15 left, a 2 on 1 with Holloway and Kyrou…showing their speed…and Holloway waits patiently and passes at the last second to Kyrou at the backdoor, and Kyrou has his 29th…4 to 1 Blues. Holloway’s 3rd assist of the game.
5 Minutes!! Blues on top in shots…21 to 20…and goals 4 to 1.
Nashville doesn’t pull the goalie… essentially throwing in the towel on this game…final 4 to 1 Blues…Hofer 22 saves.
Nashville led in shots 23 to 21.