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Lightning up next: Predators fall to Blues

 
Published Nov. 20, 2016

ST. LOUIS — Blues coach Ken Hitchcock calls his fourth-line forwards "the specialists." Lately, they've simply been special.

Kyle Brodziak got the tiebreaking goal 7:28 into the third period, lifting St. Louis over the Predators 3-1 on Saturday night.

Vladimir Tarasenko and David Perron also scored, and Jake Allen made 30 saves, helping the Blues finish 3-0 on their homestand. St. Louis is 8-1-2 at home this season.

Mike Ribeiro scored and Pekka Rinne made 31 saves for Nashville, which finished a three-game trip 1-2. The Predators host the Lightning on Monday night.

The play of the Blues' fourth line of Brodziak, Scottie Upshall and Ryan Reaves was the catalyst of Saturday's win. The unit was a collective plus-3, and had four shots and five hits.

"We're out here to do a job, and if we don't do it, we're told about it," Upshall said. "But things have been going good. We've turned things around here, a good week at home, and it's good to chip in."

The Blues snapped a two-game losing streak versus Nashville but have dominated the Predators at Scottrade Center, winning five straight. Overall, the Blues have won six of eight against the Predators.

Brodziak snapped a 1-1 tie with his second goal in three games. He put in a rebound off Upshall's shot after the pair entered on a 2-on-1 following P.K. Subban's turnover.

Predators coach Peter Laviolette believed a cross-checking penalty should have been called against the Blues, which caused Subban to turn the puck over.

"I thought we were good for two periods," Laviolette said. "(The Blues) seemed to grab some momentum off of that power play to open the third period, and shortly after that we just couldn't seem to corral it. They gained some momentum, and I think the shots were seven or eight to nothing at one point there. We start the third and we just couldn't get going."

James Neal had his six-game goal streak snapped for the Predators.