Lightning’s 7-game win streak snapped by Blues in 4-3 loss
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist, Jordan Binnington made 39 saves, and the St. Louis Blues snapped Tampa Bay‘s seven-game win streak with a 4-3 victory over the NHL-leading Lightning on Saturday night.
Robert Thomas, Alexander Steen and Brayden Schenn also scored for St. Louis, which earned its third consecutive win.
Binnington improved to 20-4-1. He has won his last four starts and seven of his last nine overall.
Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 shots to fall to 36-9-4. He has allowed at least three goals in four of his last five starts.
St. Louis jumped in front with three goals during a quick scoring flurry in the first period.
Thomas put the Blues in front at 10:30 when he one-timed a Vince Dunn rebound past Vasilevskiy for his eighth goal. Steen then got his eighth goal of the season just 37 seconds later when he buried a feed from Zach Sanford.
Tarasenko made it 3-0 when he scored his team-leading 29th goal at 12:45.
Tampa Bay outshot St. Louis 19-8 in the second.
Alex Killorn got the Lightning on the board with a short-handed goal 27 seconds into the period. It was Killorn’s 17th on the season.
Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point followed with his career-best 40th goal at 7:24.
Schenn responded for St. Louis when he reached behind his skates and backhanded a rebound from Tarasenko over Vasilevskiy’s outstretched glove at 14:24.
Steven Stamkos got the Lightning within one with his 39th early in the third. Stamkos appeared to tie the game with 5:43 remaining, but St. Louis won its challenge that Point was offside prior to Tampa Bay getting the puck into the offensive zone.
NOTES: Blues C Tyler Bozak recorded his 400th career NHL point when he assisted on Thomas’ goal. … Binnington improved to 12-0-1 in his career versus Eastern Conference opponents. … Lightning RW Yanni Gourde served the first game of a two-game suspension for his illegal check to the head of Jordan Staal on Thursday at Carolina. … Stamkos has scored 32 goals since Nov. 29 to lead the NHL.
UP NEXT
Lightning: Host the Boston Bruins on Monday.
Blues: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday.
