Blues 4, Wild 1: Rookie Jaden Schwartz and Andy McDonald each recorded a goal and an assist as visiting St. Louis ended its three-game losing streak.
Defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Barret Jackman also scored while Brian Elliott made 19 saves in relief for the Blues, who strengthened their blue line by acquiring Jay Bouwmeester from the Calgary Flames shortly after the game began. Elliott entered late in the first period after Jaroslav Halak (five saves) went down with a lower-body injury.
Dany Heatley tallied and Niklas Backstrom stopped 20 shots for the Wild, who have lost two of three following a seven-game winning streak.
Schwartz opened the scoring with 7:28 remaining in the first period with a shot from the inner edge of the right faceoff circle, but Heatley forged a tie 6:59 into the second by burying a rebound on the doorstep. McDonald put St. Louis ahead for good at 12:17 as he chased down his own rebound and beat Backstrom from the left side of the crease.
Shattenkirk scored on a blast from the right point less than two minutes later and Jackman sealed the victory with 51 seconds left in the third.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Minnesota had its four-game home winning streak snapped. ... D Jordan Leopold made his debut with the Blues after being acquired from Buffalo on Saturday. The veteran registered two shots on goal and blocked one in 16:43 of ice time. ... Wild captain Mikko Koivu had his seven-game point streak come to an end. ... St. Louis sent D Mark Cundari, G Reto Berra and a first-round pick in 2013 to Calgary for Bouwmeester.
St. Louis | Minnesota | |
Andy McDonald 2 | Points | Dany Heatley 1 |
Andy McDonald 1 | Goals | Dany Heatley 1 |
Andy McDonald 1 | Assists | Jonas Brodin 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Jaroslav Halak 1.000 | Save Percentage | Niklas Backstrom .833 |
Brian Elliott 19 | Saves | Niklas Backstrom 20 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
St. Louis | 24 | 4 | 0-1 | 5-5 | 10 | 32 |
Minnesota | 25 | 1 | 0-5 | 1-1 | 2 | 30 |