In Nashville, Nick Cousins gave the Predators a 1-0 lead in the first period over the St Louis Blues.
In response, the Blues scored the next six goals, enroute to an 8-3 win over Nashville.
“I just think [the Blues are] a super-skilled team over there,” Cousins said. “They make a lot of plays through the neutral zone. I just think we’ve got to be harder with our reloads, myself included. It just seems like every opportunity they had, they made the most of it.”
St Louis has won nine straight heading into the post season.
The Blues scored a total of seven goals in the middle frame.
Jordan Kyrou, Brayden Schenn, and Calle Rosen hit for doubles for the Blues.
“When everyone is playing the right way, obviously you get a lot of bounces, and obviously in the second period we got a lot of bounces going our way,” Kyrou said. “We’ve been saying it all year. We all know that we have a really deep offensive group, so it’s not that surprising.”
St Louis improved to 46-20-10.
“I’m very happy with the team, the way they’re performing,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “They are playing for each other and right now, they are doing a good job. It’s all about the team. They’ve got to stick with that. We’ve got to keep pushing. We’ve got to move on from this game.”
Jordan Binnington made 33 saves in the Blues win.
The seven-goal middle frame was a franchise record.
Dante Fabbro and Luke Kunin added single markers for Nashville.
The Predators dropped to 43-28-5.
“I actually thought we played a good first, had a good period, had a lot of chances,” the Predators’ Roman Josi said. “Then in the second period, we just fell apart. We gave them so many chances, odd-man rushes everywhere. We left our goalies out to dry. We got embarrassed in the second period.”
Nathan Walker and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored for the Blues.
“‘Vladdy’s’ goal was a big goal,” Berube said. “That’s such a power-move goal, and what a release off it. Just the strength and the speed to get around [Nashville defenseman Alexandre Carrier down the right wing] like that.”
Juuse Saros got the start for the Predators, but was given the hook in the second period after giving up four goals while making 16 saves.
David Rittich made nine saves in a mop up role.
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