Blues 3, Wild 2 (SO)
T.J. Oshie scored his fourth shootout-winning goal of the season as St. Louis completed a perfect three-game road trip with its fifth straight win overall.
Oshie and defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo tallied in regulation and Brian Elliott made 17 saves for the Blues, who moved one point ahead of idle Anaheim in the race for the Presidents' Trophy. Oshie, who was the hero in the shootout for the United States in its preliminary-round victory over host Russia in the Olympics, improved to 8-for-11 in the bonus format this season by lifting the puck over Ilya Bryzgalov's glove in the first round.
Jason Pominville and Matt Moulson scored for the Wild, who began a four-game homestand with their second straight defeat (0-1-1) following a season-high five-game winning streak. Bryzgalov turned aside 20 shots in his first appearance for Minnesota since being acquired from Edmonton on Tuesday.
St. Louis staked Elliott to a 2-0 lead after just 8 1/2 minutes of action. Oshie buried the rebound of Alex Steen's one-timer from the blue line during a power play 3:37 into the contest and Colaiacovo fired a loose puck in the slot into the top left corner of the net less than five minutes later.
Pominville halved the deficit at 3:11 of the second session, beating Elliott from the left faceoff circle for his team-leading 23rd goal. Moulson forged a tie 3:52 later as he redirected captain Mikko Koivu's shot from along the left-wing boards past the netminder from the top of the crease for his first goal with the Wild.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Elliott made a highlight-reel stick save on Minnesota LW Zach Parise midway through the third period to keep the game deadlocked. ... St. Louis improved to 18-0-1 against Central Division rivals this season. ... The Blues have won eight straight meetings with the Wild, including three this season in which they have allowed a total of three goals.