ST. LOUIS (AP) — Brayden Schenn had two goals and an assist, Zach Sanford scored twice and the St. Louis Blues beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-3 Tuesday night.
The reigning Stanley Cup champion Blues were 1-4-1 in their previous six games but hadn’t played at home in nearly three weeks due partly to a bye week and the All-Star break.
St. Louis improved to 10-0-1 in their last 11 games at home.
It was Schenn’s first three-point game since Feb. 19, 2019 against Columbus, a stretch of 79 games.
Jordan Binnington stopped 25 shots, and Colton Parayko and Sammy Blais also scored.
The Hurricanes fell to 0-5-0 over their last five games away from home.
Carolina’s Petr Mrazek looked rusty in just his third start since Jan. 13, allowing six goals on 26 shots. Sebastian Aho, Brock McGinn and Martin Necas scored for the Hurricanes.
Blais put St. Louis ahead 1-0 at 2:44 of the first period, getting his first goal since Nov. 2 — he missed 28 games in that time following wrist surgery.
“I’m just trying to get my game back to where it was before I got hurt,” Blais said. “It’s great to be back playing with the boys and winning a hockey game. This was my first game back at home in a long time.”
That goal got the Blues off and running, coach Craig Berube said.
“They way they play, it’s important you shoot pucks. They pressure you,” Berube said. “Sammy was all alone in front. It was a big goal for us right away. It was important for us to get off to a good start. This was our first game at home in a while. We were on top it right away and that’s a good sign.”
St. Louis piled on with four goals in the second period, including two on the power play, all on their first six shots.
Sanford made it 2-0 on a wraparound, and Parayko ripped a slap shot to make it 3-0. After Aho tallied for Carolina, St. Louis struck again on a power play, with Schenn scoring off a rebound from Jaden Schwartz’s shot.
Sanford said it “might have been” the first wraparound goal he’s ever scored.
“After the first period, the coaches came in and said if you’re coming down that side, he’s (Mrazek) sliding outside the post so maybe try a wraparound,” Sanford said. “I saw that and I tried it. It was nice to tuck in.”
The period was a tough one for his club, Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said.
“They didn’t even probably really break a sweat in that game,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s pretty easy. Now they get way ahead so it is what it is, but we’ve got to be better with the desperation on each guy. We really had to buckle down tonight and it didn’t happen.”
Schenn scored again 4 1/2 minutes later, also on a power play, to make it 5-1 and give him his third multigoal game of the season.
Aho said the Hurricanes need to play better. Their overall game has some holes.
“Apparently a lot of things that are missing. Power play, we didn’t execute,” Aho said. “Penalty kill obviously, that was too easy for them, Tap ins, back door. Maybe this time of year, the place we are, we should have probably a higher desperation level. It’s not like guys are not trying and guys are not working.”
NOTES: Former Blue and current Carolina D Joel Edmundson received his Stanley Cup ring before the game from Blues Hall of Famer Al MacInnis. St. Louis flew in Edmundson’s parents, Bob and Lois, to watch the game from Brandon, Manitoba. … Faulk, who came to St. Louis in exchange for Edmundson, prospect Dominik Bokk and a 2021 draft pick, faced his old team for the first time. The 37th overall selection in the 2010 NHL Draft, Faulk played 559 career games with Carolina. Shortly after the trade, Faulk signed a $45.5 million, seven-year contract.
UP NEXT
Hurricanes : At Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.
Blues: Host Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
Photo credit – Scott Kane / Associated Press / St. Louis, MO
