Blues 3, Blue Jackets 1: Captain David Backes scored his second goal in as many games to snap a tie late in the second period as host St. Louis held on to move three points clear of Columbus in the Western Conference playoff race.

Chris Stewart opened the scoring and Patrik Berglund added a short-handed, empty-net goal for the Blues, who won their third straight game and improved to 3-0-0 against the Central Division-rival Blue Jackets. Jake Allen made 26 saves in his first start since March 26 as St. Louis remained one point behind Detroit for seventh place in the West.

Artem Anisimov scored the lone goal for Columbus, which saw its three-game winning streak come to an end. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 16 shots and Marian Gaborik earned an assist in his second game as a Blue Jacket.

Backes swung the puck past Bobrovsky while falling onto his back in the slot nine seconds after Anisimov knotted the contest at 1-1 with 1:24 remaining in the second period. Stewart had tucked a backhand shot between Bobrovsky’s pads from in close during a power play less than three minutes earlier.

Blues defenseman Barret Jackman was called for hooking with 1:40 remaining in the third period, and Columbus pulled Bobrovsky for the majority of the power play but was unable to forge another tie. Berglund capped the scoring in the final second with his 15th goal.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Backes scored for the first time in 15 games on Thursday against Chicago. Stewart leads the Blues with 16 goals. ... St. Louis D Jay Bouwmeester finished with two assists, giving him three in the first two games with his new team. ... The Blues and Blue Jackets conclude their season series on April 12 at Columbus.