OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice and had an help, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Ottawa Senators 5-2 on Tuesday evening.
Tarasenko’s first purpose put the Blues up 2-1 within the second interval, and his second was an empty-netter that got here with about two minutes left in a recreation that was effectively in hand by then. He now has 18 targets this season.
Brayden Schenn, Robert Thomas and Oskar Sundqivst additionally scored for the Blues, and Ville Husso made 18 saves.
Tim Stutzle and Parker Kelly scored for the Senators. Goalie Matt Murray made 27 saves earlier than he was injured when Sundqvist fell on top of him within the third interval. Anton Forsberg got here in and stopped 4 pictures.
“The way (the Blues) play in the O-zone, they don’t throw pucks away, they hold on, they grind you,” Senators coach D.J. Smith mentioned. “I imply, we do have numerous guys out, however that’s what we wish to be, that’s what you wish to search for. Two years in the past, they win the Stanley Cup taking part in that actual fashion and that’s what you wish to do.”
The Senators did not give an replace on Murray after the sport.
Schenn kicked off the scoring with about 7 minutes left within the first interval, extending his level streak to 5 video games. Ottawa pulled even when Stutzle scored on the ability play, with an help by Brady Tkachuk, with 3 1/2 minutes left within the first. This was the Senators’ first power-play purpose in February as they’d gone 0-for-14 to that time.
Tarasenko’s first purpose was early within the second interval on an influence play, adopted about three minutes later with a purpose from Thomas (assisted by Tarasenko) to place the Blues up 3-1.
Ottawa’s remaining purpose, from Kelly, got here at 6:53 into the second interval to drag inside a purpose.
The Senators failed to attain on a five-on-three they’d for 74 seconds. Tarasenko gave credit score to the Blues’ penalty kill
“Everybody played desperate, especially I want to mention Robert Bortuzzo,” Tarasenko mentioned. “It’s unreal when you see a guy try to block a shot with every part of his body. It’s a huge credit to those guys. They might not share some spotlights in the media, but inside the team we know it’s insane and makes us proud of our teammates and makes us work hard.”
Halfway via the third interval, the Blues pulled away with Sundqvist’s fourth purpose of the season. Tarasenko padded St. Louis’ lead together with his empty netter.
“He’s all over the ice,” Thomas mentioned of Tarasenko. (*2*)
The two groups hadn’t met since Oct. 10, 2019. Tuesday’s recreation was initially scheduled for Dec. 21 however was postponed when the NHL stopped cross-border video games simply earlier than the Christmas break.
Blues: At Montreal on Thursday, the second of a four-game journey.
Senators: At Buffalo on Thursday.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.