Sharks 6, Blues 3
ST. LOUIS -- Right winger Tomas Hertl and center Logan Couture each scored two goals to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 6-3 win Monday night over the St. Louis Blues.
The win snapped a five-game winning streak for the Blues, who had gone 6-0-1 since their last regulation loss on Feb. 4, also to the Sharks, who have won four of their last five games in St. Louis. The Sharks improved to 5-1-1 in their last seven games.
It was the second two-goal game of the season for Hertl while Couture added his two goals, his first multi-goal game since Jan. 21, 2015 before center Joe Thornton capped the scoring for the Sharks with two goals of his own, including an empty-net goal with 1:25 to play.
Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester scored at 9:50 to pull the Blues within 5-3.
The Sharks jumped out to a 3-0 lead just 12:59 into the game, taking advantage of a five-minute major boarding penalty on Blues right winger Ryan Reaves, who also received a game misconduct for his hit on San Jose defenseman Matt Tennyson at 8:37 of the period.
After Hertl scored 4:44 into the game, he added his second goal at 10:18 off a rebound. A slashing penalty against Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo put the Sharks on a 5-on-3 power play for 1:36, and Couture capitalized with another rebound goal.
Blues goalie Brian Elliott suffered an apparent injury to his leg on the goal and left the game. He was replaced by Jake Allen, who came off injured reserve on Sunday and had not played since Jan. 8.
The Blues cut the lead to 3-1 on a power-play goal by center David Backes at 17:36 of the first period. It was his 15th goal of the season and 200th of his career.
A power-play goal from right winger Vladimir Tarasenko, his 29th of the season, pulled the Blues within 3-2 at 11:25 of the second period, but it took just 20 seconds for the Sharks to regain a two-goal lead, on Couture's second goal of the game.
NOTES: LW Magnus Paajarvi, a healthy scratch for the last five games, replaced LW Alexander Steen in the Blues' lineup. Steen will miss at least four weeks with an upper-body injury suffered Saturday night at Arizona. ... The Sharks said they hope C Nick Spaling and D Roman Polak, acquired Monday from Toronto, will join the team before Wednesday night's game in Colorado. ... The Sharks also expect D Brenden Dillon, who missed his sixth consecutive game Monday night, to return on Wednesday. ... Blues G Jake Allen, activated from injured reserve on Sunday, likely will play for the first time since Jan. 8 either Saturday in Nashville or Sunday in Carolina. ... The Blues host the New York Rangers on Thursday night before beginning the four-game trip.