Quick start sparks Blues to victory over Predators

Robert Thomas and Zack Bolduc scored on St. Louis' first two shots, Thomas added another goal and the host Blues pulled away late from the Nashville Predators for a 7-4 victory on Friday.

The tallies in the first three minutes of the game helped St. Louis, which never trailed but didn't shake Nashville until late, earn its second straight win following a 1-3-2 rut.

The Blues' Cam Fowler added a goal and two assists, Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist, Philip Broberg and Colton Parayko also scored, and Dylan Holloway had two assists.

Four times Nashville got within a goal, including through Jonathan Marchessault's power-play tally with nine minutes left in regulation.

Marchessault and Steven Stamkos each had a goal with an assist for the Predators, who entered on a 3-0-1 stretch. Nashville's Nick Blankenburg and Mark Jankowski also scored.

Thomas' power-play score with 4:50 left in the game iced the Blues' win. Parayko added a short-handed empty-netter with 1:15 to go.

St. Louis opened the scoring 1:20 into the contest. After intercepting a pass, Thomas split the Predators' defense and beat Juuse Saros, who was pulled late in the second period after yielding five goals on 15 shots faced.

Off a drop pass from Oskar Sundqvist, Bolduc's potent wrister rang the post and went in at 2:47.

Nashville responded at 5:42 of the first. Jankowski sent the puck through a host of Blues and by goaltender Joel Hofer (26 saves).

The Blues regained the two-goal edge at 9:57 of the opening frame. Kyrou half-spun alone in the high slot, then drove the puck in through traffic.

Nashville answered again at 13:17 of the first, on a power play. Marchessault's touch pass found a wide-open Stamkos to convert. However, just as a St. Louis power play ended, Fowler's blast made it by a screened Saros with 1:55 left in the first.

Nashville made it 4-3 at 5:31 of the second. Blankenburg weaved his way through traffic before sliding a backhander through Hofer's legs.

Saros had his night end with 4:31 left in the second, after he tried to clear the puck but instead had it picked off by Broberg, who snapped it home.

Nashville goalie Justus Annunen stopped 12 of 13 shots in relief.

--Field Level Media