Predators 4, Blues 3
Mike Ribeiro collected a goal and two assists as host Nashville spoiled Martin Brodeur's debut with St. Louis.
Rookie Filip Forsberg scored and set up a goal while Eric Nystrom and Colin Wilson also tallied for the Predators, who claimed sole possession of first place in the Central Division. Pekka Rinne finished with 29 saves as Nashville won its seventh straight at home for the first time since Oct. 29-Nov. 23, 2009.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice to extend his team-leading goal total to 16 for the Blues, who have dropped back-to-back contests to fall to 1-2-0 on their four-game road trip. Signed to a one-year deal on Tuesday, the 42-year-old Brodeur turned aside 20 shots in first start since April 13.
Tarasenko forced a turnover at center ice and executed a give-and-go with Alex Steen before beating Rinne from deep in the right faceoff circle 5:46 into the first period to open the scoring. Forsberg answered under 8 1/2 minutes later by cleaning up a rebound following Ribeiro's backhand shot, before Nystrom's one-timer from the slot beat Brodeur with 53 seconds left in the session.
Ribeiro converted a tic-tac-toe play at 1:25 of the third to give Nashville a 3-1 lead before Tarasenko unleashed a blast for his second of the contest 2 1/2 minutes later to trim the deficit. Wilson scored on a breakaway at 9:30 to double the advantage, but Schwartz answered three minutes later with his ninth of the season three minutes later.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Tarasenko has collected five goals and as many assists in his last seven meetings with Nashville. ... The Predators failed on both power-play opportunities and dropped to 0-for-20 in their last six contests. ... Forsberg has scored three goals and set up four others in three meetings with the Blues this season.