Blues overcome Steen injury, win 5th consecutive game
The St. Louis Blues keep on rolling.
Vladimir Tarasenko's 28th goal of the season kickstarted a four-goal first period as the Blues held on for their fifth consecutive win Saturday, beating the Arizona Coyotes 6-4. With the victory, St. Louis continues to close in on the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars atop the Central Division.
| Team | W | L | OT | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 38 | 18 | 5 | 81 |
| Dallas | 37 | 17 | 6 | 80 |
| St. Louis | 35 | 17 | 9 | 79 |
Alex Steen scored his 17th of the season just three minutes after assisting Tarasenko's goal. Though, Steen's game ended shortly thereafter when he suffered an apparent arm injury after Coyotes defenseman Kevin Connauton sent him flying into the boards.
(Courtesy: NHL.com)
Jaden Schwartz added his fourth goal in five games and Carl Gunnarsson scored his second of the season before the first period ended. Patrik Berglund redirected a Scottie Upshall pass for his fifth of the year and captain David Backes added an empty-netter in the final second.
Goaltender Brian Elliott struggled, making just 18 saves on 22 shots. But his effort was still enough for the victory in his 17th consecutive start - a period in which the Blues have won 11 games.
They will look to extend the winning streak to a season-high six games in a game against the San Jose Sharks on Monday.