Blues 3, Wild 2
ST. LOUIS - Center David Backes scored with 34 seconds left in overtime to give the St. Louis Blues a 3-2 win Saturday night over the Minnesota Wild.
Backes, who had not scored in the Blues' first 10 games, got his second goal of the game off a pass from right wing Ty Rattie.
The win improved the Blues' record at home this season to 4-0-1.
The Blues jumped to a 2-0 lead just 8:40 into the game, only to see the Wild tie it with two goals later in the first period.
Backes scored his first goal of the year 2:47 into the game, followed by a goal from left wing Alexander Steen, who beat goalie Devan Dubnyk after intercepting a pass from center Mikko Koivu.
It marked the first time this season the Blues had scored two goals in the opening period, but the lead didn't last.
Left wing Jason Zucker made it a 2-1 game when he fired a wrist shot past goalie Jake Allen, and center Erik Haula got the tying goal with 43 seconds left in the period after a Blues turnover in their own zone.
St. Louis had to kill off a 5-on-3 advantage for the Wild for 1:02 midway through the second period to keep the game deadlocked entering the third period.
NOTES: The Blues said it was a "precautionary" decision to keep RW Vladimir Tarasenko out of Saturday night's game. He injured his left leg on a hard check in the second period Thursday night against Anaheim but did return for the third period. ... D Kevin Shattenkirk (groin) also was scratched again by the Blues. He hasn't played since Oct. 13, the third game of the season. ... The Wild recalled C Jordan Schroeder from Iowa of the American Hockey League after RW Justin Fontaine suffered a knee injury in Friday night's game in Chicago. Fontaine's status was said to be week-to-week by the Wild. ... The Blues will conclude a five-game homestand on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Kings. ... The Wild are off until Thursday night, when they will host Nashville.