Jets charge past Blues for fifth straight win
ST. LOUIS -- Patrik Laine's goal, his first of two in the game, ignited a three-goal outburst in a span of 62 seconds early in the second period that sent the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.
The win was the fifth in a row by the Jets and completed a five-game season sweep of the Blues. The loss was only the second in regulation by the Blues in their last 16 games.
Leading 3-2 after two periods, the Jets got a controversial insurance goal five minutes into the third period. Goalie Jake Allen appeared to make a glove save on a shot by Mark Scheifele, but the play was reversed after a video review. The goal was the 31st of the season for Scheifele.
The Jets increased the lead to 5-2 on Laine's second goal of the game at 9:02 of the third period, which chased Allen from the game. The five goals were the most the Blues have allowed since the Jets scored five on Jan. 31.
The three-goal flurry began with Laine's 35th goal of the season, off a rebound at 1:47 of the second period, tying the score at 1. Only 14 seconds later, Nikolaj Ehlers beat Allen on a wraparound for his 25th goal of the season to put the Jets in front.
Winnipeg wasn't done, however, as Mark Stuart's shot deflected off St. Louis' Kyle Brodziak and into the net at 2:49 of the period to make it 3-1.
The Blues responded with a goal by Jori Lehtera off a feed from Ivan Barbashev to pull within 3-2 at 4:38 of the second period.
Alex Pietrangelo also scored for the Blues, his career-high 13th goal of the season, 35 seconds into the game.
NOTES: The last time the Blues were winless in a season against an opponent it faced five or more times was in the 2005-06 season, against the Predators. ... Blues LW Jori Lehtera was back in the lineup after missing 12 games because of a concussion. His replaced RW Dmitrij Jaskin. ... The Blues still don't know if C Paul Stastny will be able to play before the end of the regular season or perhaps the first round of the playoffs. He is recovering from a lower-body injury, believed to be a broken foot, suffered March 21. ... C Jack Roslovic and LW Kyle Connor, two 20-year-old prospects, joined the Jets after being promoted from the minors but did not play. Both could be in the lineup on Thursday night when the Jets play at Columbus. ... The Blues play Thursday night at Florida.