Tarasenko delivers in OT, Blues clip Sabres
ST. LOUIS -- Vladimir Tarasenko scored wth 36 seconds left in overtime to lift the St. Louis Blues to their fourth consecutive win, 3-2 over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night.
The Sabres tied the game 2-2 with 1:27 left to play in the third period on Evan Rodrigues' second goal of the game, off a rebound, after they pulled goalie Robin Lehner for an extra attacker.
Blues goalie Jake Allen had to stop just 14 shots through the first two periods before the Sabres cut the lead to 2-1 on a power-play goal by Rodrigues 1:42 into the third period. Rodrigues was playing just his third game for the Sabres and the two goals were his first of the season.
His power-play goal came after the Blues' Vladimir Sobotka was called for hooking.
Buffalo had been 0-for-3 on the power-play in the first two periods and had converted just one of its previous 35 chances with a man advantage over 12 games before the goal by Rodriuges. It was the first power-play goal allowed by the Blues in their last six games and ended a streak of 19 consecutive kills.
Brayden Schenn gave the Blues the lead just 40 seconds into the game with his team-leading 16th goal. He has scored six goals in the last four games.
The Blues increased the lead to 2-0 at 16:11 of the second period. Tarasenko's shot bounced off the end boards and Paul Stastny was able to poke the rebound past Lehner.
Defenseman Joel Edmundson assisted on two St. Louis goals.
NOTES: The Blues said LW Jaden Schwartz is expected to miss six weeks because of an injury to his right ankle suffered in Saturday's game in Detroit. He was hurt when he blocked a shot, minutes after he scored his 14th goal of the year. ... C Ivan Barbashev was recalled from Chicago of the AHL to take Schwartz's place on the roster. ... The Blues also were without D Alex Pietrangelo on Sunday night after he also was hurt on Saturday, even though he was able to finish that game. The team said his status is day-to-day. ... LW Zemgus Girgensons returned to the Sabres' lineup after being a healthy scratch the past two games. He replaced Jordan Nolan. ... The game started a four-game homestand for the Blues, who will play Tampa Bay on Tuesday night. ... The Sabres return home Tuesday night to play Ottawa.