Blues 3, Jets 2
ST. LOUIS -- Center David Backes scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 win over Winnipeg Monday night, extending the Jets' losing streak to six games.
Backes' second goal 4:24 into the second period came when he took a pass from left wing Alexander Steen and flipped a backhander past goalie Michael Hutchinson to drop the Jets to 0-5-1 in their last six games.
The Blues snapped a two-game losing streak, which equaled their longest of the season.
Backes was moved onto the Blues' top forward line with Steen and right wing Vladimir Tarasenko during the morning skate, and the move paid immediate dividends.
Tarasenko scored his 11th goal of the season, and fourth in the last three games, just 5:33 into the game, with defenseman Colton Parayko and Backes earning the assists.
The Blues increased the lead to 2-0 when Backes scored on the power play, converting a centering pass from defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk at 14:13 of the first period.
It was only the second power-play goal by the Blues in 28 chances at home this season. It came 27 seconds after Jets' center Mathieu Perreault was called for delaying the game when he shot the puck over the glass.
That lead disappeared in the span of 36 seconds early in the second period, however, as the Jets rallied to tie the game on goals from defenseman Dustin Byfuglien and center Bryan Little.
Byfuglien was credited with a goal when his slap shot hit the leg of Blues' defenseman Jay Bouwmeester in front of the net and deflected past goalie Jake Allen 2:16 into the period.
Little scored the tying goal, his team-leading ninth of the season, at 2:52.
NOTES: LW Jeremy Welsh was recalled by the Blues from Chicago of the AHL and inserted into the lineup for Monday night's game, his first game in the NHL since Dec. 14, 2013, when he was with Vancouver. Welsh replaced RW Ryan Reaves, who was a healthy scratch for the third time in the last four games. ... D Adam Pardy returned to the Winnipeg lineup after being out since Oct. 18. ... Monday night's game was the Jets' ninth game in nine cities (one home game) since Oct. 31. They will host Vancouver on Thursday night. ... This will be a busy week for the Blues, who play at Columbus on Tuesday night and return home for games on Thursday and Saturday.