Schwartz, Brodziak help Blues to victory over Sabres
ST. LOUIS -- Left winger Jaden Schwartz and center Kyle Brodziak scored 1:35 apart early in the third period to send the St. Louis Blues to a 4-1 victory Tuesday night over the Buffalo Sabres.
The victory broke a three-game winless streak for the Blues (0-2-1) while the Sabres are winless in their last five games (0-3-2). The Blues defeated the Sabres for the ninth consecutive time and 19th time in their last 21 contests.
Schwartz broke a 1-1 tie 44 seconds into the third period, scoring off the rebound of a shot by right winger Dmitrij Jaskin. Brodziak followed with his first goal of the season at 2:19, redirecting a pass from right winger Ryan Reaves past goalie Robin Lehner. Left winger Scottie Upshall added an empty-net goal for the final margin.
The teams traded power-play goals in the first period. The Sabres, who had converted only one of 13 power-play chances over their last eight games, struck first, getting a goal by center Sam Reinhart at 7:55. The goal came 18 seconds after Upshall was called for hooking.
It was only the second power-play goal allowed by the Blues in 35 chances at home this season.
The Blues responded 3:03 later after the Sabres were assessed a bench minor for having too many men on the ice. It took nine seconds for the Blues to score, with the goal coming from left winger Robby Fabbri.
The Blues had two injury scares during the game. In the final minute of the first period, Schwartz was struck on the left leg by a shot from defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and limped to the bench, but was able to return in the second period.
Early in the middle period, right winger Alexander Steen was checked hard into the boards by Buffalo defenseman Josh Gorges and had to leave the ice. He returned briefly, but then left the ice again. There was no announcement from the Blues about his status.
NOTES: The Sabres recalled RW Nicholas Baptiste, LW Evan Rodriguez and D Justin Falk from Rochester for Tuesday night's game. For Rodriguez, it was his third game in the NHL, after playing in the final two games last season. ... The Sabres hope C Ryan O'Reilly, who missed his second consecutive game because of a middle-body injury, can play in Thursday night's home game against Tampa Bay. ... Blues RW Nail Yakupov was a healthy scratch for the fourth time in the last six games. ... The Blues could get D Robert Bortuzzo (lower body injury) back as soon as Thursday night's home game against the San Jose Sharks. He has not played since Oct. 27.