Vladimir Tarasenko scored in the opening minute and Sammy Blais added a first-period goal as the St. Louis Blues defeated the visiting Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 on Wednesday to end a seven-game losing streak.
Jordan Binnington was huge in goal with 48 saves, helping the Blues snap an 0-6-1 skid. The brutal stretch saw St. Louis fall out of a playoff position in the West Division.
The Blues’ Jake Walman scored his first career goal with 6:29 remaining in the game. The defenseman’s score came in his 12th career game.
The victory came two nights after the Blues were thumped 6-1 by the visiting Golden Knights. St. Louis also ended its four-game losing streak Vegas, having given up at least five goals in each of those games.
Vegas’ free-flowing offense on Monday, when a franchise-record 15 players recorded a point, was stymied by Binnington, who did not start in either of the past two games. His shutout bid was spoiled with 4:16 remaining when the Golden Knights’ Nicolas Roy scored his second of the season.
Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury recorded 32 saves.
In the opening moments, Tarasenko took the puck from Vince Dunn at center ice, moved across the blue line and fired a shot from near the left faceoff circle at the 48-second mark. It was Tarasekno’s third goal in 15 games since returning from shoulder surgery.
St. Louis made it 2-0 at 7:21 of the first period when Blais fired a wrist shot from nearly the same spot as Tarasenko’s goal. Blais’ fourth of the season came off a pass from David Perron, who raised his team-best assist total to 25.
With just two goals until past the midway point of the third period, it was not the offensive windfall the Blues were looking for, but Binnington made it stand up. Even with the victory, the Blues have scored just 11 goals in their past eight games.
–Field Level Media