Pietrangelo scores twice as Blues outslug Leafs
ST. LOUIS -- Alex Pietrangelo scored a pair of goals, the first to cap a three-goal flurry in the second period, to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 6-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
The six goals were a season high for the Blues and included three from their defensemen, increasing their total on the campaign to a combined 17 in 15 games.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Joel Edmundson and Pietrangelo scored in a span of 7:55 in the second period after the Maple Leafs took a 1-0 in the first. Tarasenko's seventh goal of the year, off the rebound of a shot by Brayden Schenn, tied the game 2:33 into the second period. It was the sixth consecutive game Tarasenko has scored a goal against Toronto.
Schenn and Jaden Schwartz each assisted on the first three St. Louis goals, with Schwartz increasing his team-leading point total to 20 with eight goals and 12 assists.
Edmundson scored off a rebound when goalie Frederik Andersen failed to catch a shot by Schenn, his fourth goal of the year, at 7:10.
Pietrangelo increased the lead to 3-1 at 10:28 with a nifty move from behind the net. He added his second goal of the night and sixth of the season on a power-play in the third period.
The Maple Leafs went ahead on a goal by Andreas Borgman at 9:16 of the first period, converting a cross-ice pass from Matt Martin. It was only the fifth goal allowed by the Blues in the first period this season.
Magnus Paajarvi and Vladimir Sobotka scored the other two St. Louis goals early in the third period, with Sobotka's goal coming just 17 seconds after a goal by Toronto's Tyler Bozak had cut the lead to 4-2. After a goal by Connor Brown, Bozak scored again to cut the St. Louis lead to 6-4 with 6:47 to play.
NOTES: After being a healthy scratch for the previous four games, RW Chris Thorburn was inserted into the Blues' lineup in place of Beau Bennett. ... The Maple Leafs also made one lineup change from their previous game, scratching D Roman Polak. He was replaced by Connor Carrick. ... G Carter Hutton served as the Blues backup goalie after missing Thursday night's game for the birth of his first child, son Palmer. ... The contest completed a four-game homestand for the Blues, whose next game is Tuesday night in New Jersey. ... The Maple Leafs, who finished a four-game road trip, return home to host the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night.