Tarasenko leads Blues to win over Canucks
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist, leading the St. Louis Blues to a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.
Tarasenko has 23 goals this season, and the three-point game gave him 500 points in his NHL career.
"It's a great accomplishment. He's been a very good player for quite a while. He's continuing to be a good player. He's actually a more well-rounded player than when I first got here, seeing him now," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "He was very good tonight. He's a leader of this team; he's won here."
David Perron and Marco Scandella also scored for the Blues, who had lost of three of four. Robert Thomas had two assists.
Ville Husso rebounded after allowing five goals Saturday and recorded 35 saves.
Brad Hunt scored for Vancouver. Former Blues goal Jaroslav Halak had 25 saves.
It was the first of a home-and-home set against the Canucks. The teams play in
Vancouver tonight.
St. Louis, outscored 12-4 in its last two games, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period.
“I don't think we were very good tonight.”
Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau said. “We didn't have enough guys play with a sense of urgency that you need at this time of the season. I just didn't think we were in it tonight at all.”
Tarasenko's goal just 49 seconds into the third period gave the Blues a three-goal lead and destroyed any chance of a Vancouver comeback.
“I set the tone there in the third with a missed assignment,” Canucks J.T. Miller said. “We got off on the wrong foot there at the start of the third period. I actually had a good play before that. A good stick on him. I just puck watched for one second. I knew he was over there. I really do. I was just being stubborn. All it takes is one second with good players. You watch the puck a little too long and then it's in the back of the net.”
The Canucks cut the lead to 3-1 on a goal by Hunt at 2:13.
Halak was pulled with 3:17 to play. Tarasenko scored an empty-net goal at 17:47.