Blues end losing streak with win over Canucks
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Kyle Brodziak's goal with 1:30 left in the second period stood up as the winner as the St. Louis Blues beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 in NHL action Saturday night.
Brodziak gave the Blues a 2-1 lead as he squeezed a shot from a sharp angle between Markstrom and the post -- while the crowd groaned.
The Blues (23-13-2) ended a three game-losing streak, while the Canucks (15-17-5) suffered their fourth straight loss.
Patrik Berglund and Alex Steen, into an empty net, in the final minute, also scored for the Blues, who are now unbeaten in 19 games when leading after two periods.
Rookie Brock Boeser tallied for the Canucks.
The Canucks entered the game with 10 goals in their last three outings, while the Blues had only scored six in the past six outings -- and no more than two in either one. But the goal-starved Blues led 1-0 and 2-1 by periods on seemingly easy shots while the Canucks struggled to create dangerous scoring chances.
Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom and made 31 saves as the Blues outshot the hosts 34-31. Blues netminder Jake Allen recorded 30 saves.
Berglund opened the scoring at 11:17 of the first period as Canucks defenseman Troy Stecher allowed him to skate away from the boards with the puck, circle into the high slot and beat Markstrom with a harmless-looking backhand. The goal came shortly after Berglund had backhanded the puck high and wide after beating Markstrom following a Canucks turnover.
The Canucks came close to tying the score a little while later as defenseman Alex Biega's shot hit the left post and center Markus Granlund fluttered the rebound off the right one. Allen then ended the threat by smothering the puck on the goal-line.
Boeser pulled the Canucks even with his 20th goal of the season 1:46 into the second period, firing in pass from Thomas Vanek after Sam Gagner had forced a turnover with strong forechecking against Colton Parayko behind the Blues' net. The goal came moments after St. Louis center Alex Steen slid the puck off Markstrom's pad and the post on a breakaway.
The Blues had chances to extend their lead in the first 12 minutes of the third period, but Brayden Schenn, Brodziak and Alex Pietrangelo all hit the post on quick shots that beat Markstrom cleanly.
NOTES: Boeser became the fastest Canucks rookie to score 20 goals in a season as he reached the mark in 34 games -- after missing the first two as a healthy scratch. He bettered the mark of 20 goals in 49 games set by Pavel Bure in 1991-92. ... Blues D Carl Gunnarson returned to action after missing one game with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Jordan Schmaltz and Fs Chris Thorburn and Ivan Berbeshev were scratched from the St. Louis lineup. ... Canucks D Ben Hutton drew back into lineup after being a healthy scratch for the previous two games. He had never been a healthy scratch before. With Hutton back, the Canucks iced an extra defenseman, going with seven rearguards. ... Canucks C Reid Boucher, called up from the minors earlier in the week, was a healthy scratch after playing in only one game, along with winger Alexander Burmistrov.