Tarasenko scores twice, Blues beat Coyotes 5-1

Updated Apr. 4, 2022 10:54 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice, Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and two assists, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-1 on Monday night.

Ivan Barbashev and Brayden Schenn also scored for the Blues, who snapped a four-game losing streak at home to Arizona. Ville Husso made 21 saves as St. Louis won for the fourth time in its last five games (4-0-1).

Nick Schmaltz scored in the third period and Ivan Prosvetov made 24 saves for the Coyotes, who lost for the eighth time in 10 games.

St. Louis took control with three goals in a four-minute span early in the second period.

Barbashev gave the Blues the lead at the 2:17 mark. Barbashev started the sequence by getting his glove on a Coyotes’ clearing attempt and keeping it in the zone before scoring off the rebound off a shot by Calle Rosen.

Tarasenko made it 2-0 just 77 seconds later, burying a one-timer from Robert Thomas' feed from behind the Coyotes’ net.

Schenn’s power-play goal at 6:33 gave St. Louis a 3-0 advantage. The tally clinched the sixth 20-goal season in Schenn’s career.

Buchnevich extended the Blues’ lead with a short-handed goal with 5:21 left in the second, set up after Ryan O’Reilly forced a turnover at center ice.

Husso capped the dominant period with a glove save on Michael Carcone's breakaway in the final seconds of the second.

Prosvetov, playing in just his third game this season and first since January 14, stopped all 10 shots in a scoreless first period including a pair of nifty pad saves on point-blank chances by Colton Parayko and Schenn.

MR. MILESTONE

Coyotes RW Phil Kessel is approaching several career marks. He is two goals from 400, one assist from 550 and three points away from 950 career points.

WELCOME BACK

Former Blues D Carl Gunnarsson was in town for the first time since retiring after last season. Gunnarsson was a key member of the Blues 2019 Stanley Cup championship team.

NOTES: Craig Berube coached his 259th game, moving him past Andy Murray for fourth most in Blues franchise history. … Coyotes LW Andrew Ladd (lower body) did not play and is day to day. … Blues C Jordan Kyrou (illness) returned after a three-game absence.

UP NEXT

Coyotes: Host Vancouver on Thursday night.

Blues: Host Seattle on Wednesday night.

___

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

in this topic