Photo by: (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)
Despite totaling 34 shots, the Blues scored just one goal in route to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Wild.
In the loss, Kevin Shattenkirk scored the lone goal for the Blues while Nino Niederreiter and Thomas Vanek led the way for Minnesota.
In net, Devan Dubnyk bested Jake Allen stopping 33 out of 34 shots while Allen allowed two goals before an empty netter in the final two minutes of the third period.
Following the loss, the Blues remain second in the Central Division with a record of 23-13-4 for 50 points and are nine points behind the Dallas Stars.
Despite the loss, St. Louis got on the board first after a scoreless first period.
On the power play, Shattenkirk received the pass from Alexander Steen and held the puck as he drifted toward the top of the circle. Then, Shattenkirk wristed a shot over the left shoulder of Dubnyk for the goal. The tally is Shattenkirk’s seventh of the season and put St. Louis on top 1-0 with 11:18 left in the second period.
Late in the second period, the Wild evened the score.
Minnesota entered the attacking zone with under four minutes left to play in the period as Justin Fontaine took a low shot on net. Allen turned aside the shot with the pad, but the rebound bounced right to Niederreiter who buried it in the back of the net to make it 1-1.
In the third period, Niederreiter and Robert Bortuzzo battled on the end boards as Niederreiter won the puck battle. Niederreiter passed to Erik Haula who beat Allen from a tough angle to make it 2-1 with 8:32 left to play in the game.
Thomas Vanek scored an empty netter to seal the game for the Wild.
The Blues will look to start the new year on a high note with a matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday, Jan. 2 on the road.
