Blues 2, Predators 1
ST. LOUIS -- Right winger Vladimir Tarasenko scored a power-play goal with 5:20 left in the third period to snap a tie and lift the St. Louis Blues to a 2-1 win Thursday night over the Nashville Predators.
The goal was Tarasenko's 20th of the season and came 26 seconds after Predators' left winger Viktor Arvidsson was called for tripping.
It was the fourth consecutive game with a goal for Tarasenko, tying the longest goal-scoring streak of his career.
The win gave the Blues back-to-back victories for the first time since they won three games in a row between Nov. 4-10. They had failed on six previous attempts to win consecutive games over that stretch.
The Blues trailed 1-0 entering the third period but got the tying goal just 2:38 later when center David Backes deflected a shot by defenseman Alex Pietrangelo past goalie Pekka Rinne. It was Backes' 10th goal of the season and gave him at least one point in his last six games (four goals, three assists).
The goal came 1:07 after the Blues thought they were going on a power-play, only to see the man-advantage wiped out before it began when center Paul Stastny was called for delay-of-game/faceoff violation.
Rinne protected a 1-0 Nashville lead since the 7:14 mark of the first period, when defenseman Roman Josi scored on a power-play.
Josi's goal, his eighth of the season, came after Blues' right winger Troy Brouwer was called for interference. It was the first power-play goal allowed by the Blues in 10 games and ended a streak of 23 consecutive penalty kills by the Blues, who lead the NHL in that category.
His shot beat goalie Jake Allen after Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester broke his stick. Stastny gave his stick to Bouwmeester but that left him unable to make a play in front of the net on the shot.
NOTES: After playing 803 games for the Blues, including 395 at Scottrade Center over 13 seasons, Nashville D Barret Jackman played his first career game against the Blues in St. Louis on Thursday night. Jackman, second all-time in games played for the Blues, signed as a free agent with the Predators last summer. ... RW Colin Wilson (lower body) returned to the Predators lineup after missing the last four games. ... C Patrik Berglund, who has not played for the Blues after shoulder surgery in August, resumed skating with the team and is projected to be ready for game action sometime after Jan. 1. ... Blues coach Ken Hitchcock celebrated his 64th birthday on Thursday. ... The Blues will host Calgary on Saturday while the Predators return home to play Minnesota.