Blues 3, Wild 2 (SO)
Vladimir Tarasenko scored in regulation and notched the only goal of the shootout in the third round to lift St. Louis in the opener of its four-game road trip.
David Backes came through with the tying goal with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third period as the Blues went beyond regulation to win for the second straight night. Rookie Jake Allen made 36 saves before denying all three attempts in the bonus format to improve to 4-1-0 away from home.
Captain Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise each scored a second-period goal for Minnesota, which lost for the first time in overtime or a shootout (3-0-1). Niklas Backstrom turned aside 24 shots but had no chance against Tarasenko in the shootout as he suffered his sixth straight defeat (0-4-2) at the hands of St. Louis.
Tarasenko scored for the second straight contest and fourth time in six games with a brilliant individual effort midway through the second, prying the puck loose along the right-wing boards before weaving diagonally through the slot and patiently waiting for Backstrom to commit before converting from the bottom of the left faceoff circle. Koivu knotted it four minutes later, snapping a wrist shot from the right circle over the shoulder of Allen.
After Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk drew a five-minute major and game misconduct for driving Ryan Carter face-first into the boards, Minnesota capitalized with 59 seconds left in the period on Parise's blast from beyond the left circle. A turnover by Wild defenseman Ryan Suter led to the equalizer as Patrik Berglund found a cutting Backes in front, and the captain lifted a shot over the glove of Backstrom with 5:33 to play.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Wild D Marco Scandella, who scored the game-winner in overtime Friday, signed a five-year, $20 million contact extension Saturday. ... Blues C T.J. Oshie took a hit to the upper chest and chin from Scandella in the first period but was back on the ice for the start of the second. Scandella drew a two-minute penalty for an illegal hit to the head on the play. ... Blues D Jay Bouwmeester (lower body), who missed his fourth straight game, was placed on injured reserve and D Petteri Lindbohm was recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League.