Juuse Saros made 35 saves as the visiting Nashville Predators defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-2 on Saturday.
Saros rebounded nicely after allowing four goals in 20 minutes during his previous game.
Colton Sissons, Luke Evangelista, Filip Forsberg, Luke Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators, who had lost five of their previous six games.
Jordan Kyrou and Nathan Walker scored, and Jordan Binnington made 28 saves for the Blues.
After losing their previous game 9-2 to the Dallas Stars, the Predators came out playing with purpose.
They took a 1-0 lead 4:11 into the game when Sissons intercepted a clearing attempt in the Blues’ zone and beat Binnington on his glove side.
Kyrou tied the score 1-1 with a five-on-three power-play goal with 55 seconds left in the first period. He broke in from the left wing and converted a cross-ice pass from Robert Thomas.
Saros kept the score tied by denying Pavel Buchnevich on a two-on-one rush midway through the second period.
Evangelista put the Predators up 2-1 with a breakaway with 6:51 left in the period. When Blues defenseman Marco Scandella failed to control the puck at the blue line, Evangelista chased it down, drew Binnington out with a shot fake, then reached the puck around him.
Saros stopped Jake Neighbours on a penalty shot with one minute left in the period to protect Nashville’s advantage.
Forsberg scored a power-play goal to increase Nashville’s lead to 3-1 at 6:48 of the third period. Forsberg took a pass from Roman Josi and beat Binnington from the right circle.
Just 63 seconds later, Schenn made it 4-1 with his slap shot from the right point.
Walker cut the Blues’ deficit to 4-2 at 12:52. Kevin Hayes fired a sharp-angle shot from the left side and Walker deflected the puck with his shoulder.
But O’Reilly sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 18:28.
–Field Level Media
