Blues stay alive with home win over Preds
St. Louis edges Nashville 2-1, cuts series deficit to 3-2
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Blues needed a spark. Dmitrij Jaskin gave it to them.
Jaskin scored in his first playoff game this season, Jaden Schwartz got the winner and the Blues topped the Nashville Predators 2-1 on Friday night to stay alive in their second-round series. Jaskin found out moments before the game he was in the lineup in place of Alexander Steen, who was sidelined by a lower-body injury. Jaskin had just one goal in 51 games this season.
“Steener, even though he didn’t play, he supported us,” Jaskin said. “He actually called that I’m going to score.” Jake Allen made 21 saves for the Blues, who had dropped two in a row.
James Neal scored for the Predators, and Pekka Rinne made 30 saves.
Jaskin put the Blues in front at 5:43 of the second period, banging home a rebound off an Alex Pietrangelo shot. It was Jaskin’s second career playoff goal.
Neal tied it with Nashville enjoying a twoman advantage with 6:10 left in the second.
Schwartz scored 25 seconds into the third, knocking in a rebound from right in front for a 2-1 St. Louis lead. Schwartz has a teamhigh four post-season goals, including three game-winners.
Penguins star Crosby returns to practice after concussion
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Sidney Crosby returned to work Friday, practicing with his Pittsburgh Penguins teammates barely four days removed from a frightening hit that left the him with a concussion, and his status for the rest of the playoffs uncertain.
While the two-time MVP declined to get into specifics whether he’ll be available for Game 5 at Washington today, he’s keeping his options open.
“We’ll see,” Crosby said. “I don’t want to rule it out. It’s not really up to me. You relay how you feel and they kind of direct you from there.”
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is in no rush to make a decision on Crosby as the defending Stanley Cup champions try to close out the Capitals.
“We’ll see how he responds (to practicing) and go from there,” Sullivan said.
Still, the sight of Crosby on the ice and cleared for contact opens the possibility of Crosby playing in the near future.
That is startling considering the way he left the ice in the first period of Game 3 on Monday after getting cross-checked in the head by Washington’s Matt Niskanen. The hit left him with his second concussion of the season and at least the fourth of his career.
Washington coach Barry Trotz said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if he saw Crosby’s familiar No. 87 tonight.
“Sid is a very intelligent young man and he will make the right decision,” Trotz said.