Final
Berglund helps Blues cruise past Blue Jackets
Mar 30, 2009 - 2:41 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The prize is just around the corner, yet the St. Louis Blues won't permit themselves to take a peek.Patrik Berglund had a goal and two assists and the Blues moved a step closer to a playoff spot with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.
"We got another two points and we're getting closer and closer," Berglund said. "We want to be in the playoffs so bad. So we really haven't thought about how much we've been climbing, but obviously it's good. But we still have six games left."
T.J. Oshie and David Perron each had a goal and an assist, Brad Boyes and David Backes also scored, and Chris Mason gave up two shaky goals but stopped the other 26 shots he faced.
Columbus is sixth in the West with 86 points, two points ahead of Nashville and three in front of St. Louis. Edmonton, which began the day in a virtual tie with the Blues for the last of the eight playoff spots, is ninth -- two points behind St. Louis.
The Blues have won five in a row and earned points in seven of eight, rising from the dregs of the West to a tenuous grip on one of those eight precious postseason spots.
"If we're there at the end of the year, then we'll be happy because every night it changes," Mason said. "We're trying to take care of business one (game) at a time. We were focused on today. We'll enjoy this one for a bit. Then we'll worry about our next game."
The Blues, who beat Columbus in a shootout at home on Saturday night, picked up four important points against one of the teams ahead of them in the standings.
"I don't believe in momentum, because I don't know what it is," coach Andy Murray said. "I just know that every game and every sporting event stands on it's own. You've got to go out and establish your own credibility. For us to win two games against them is gratifying because they're a really good team."
Rick Nash had a goal and an assist, and Fedor Tyutin added a goal for Columbus, which had taken points in its last five games and nine of the 10. Rookie goalie Steve Mason, no relation to his counterpart, made 22 saves.
But the Blue Jackets looked listless and uninspired for much of the game, something that coach Ken Hitchcock said could not and would not persist.
"We're going to have to earn our way in. Nobody's going to give us anything," said Hitchcock, whose club is the only one in the NHL never to have played in the postseason. "The disturbing part for us (the last two nights) is we've had people pushed out of the competition. That's something we have to address in the next 24 hours."
Oshie, vilified by the crowd for a running head start he took on a hit on Nash the night before, quieted the boo-birds with an early goal.
He said the Blues aren't taking time to savor how far they've come.
"It feels good to be where we're at, considering where we were," he said. "We all know we're not done yet. We've got games left. It's definitely not settled."
After each goalie gave up soft goals, Perron added some insurance when he skated in unimpeded from the right wing, faked defenseman Mike Commodore in the slot and then lifted a backhander over Steve Mason's right shoulder to make it 3-1 midway through the third period.
Sloppy defense led to three goals -- two by the Blues -- in a span of 2:22 that put the game out of reach.
Much of the crowd of 17,095 was long gone by then.
"You've got to give St. Louis credit," Hitchcock said. "They pushed us hard -- they pushed us into areas that we weren't comfortable. They're relentless and they work. We have too many people who did not respond."
- NHL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
ST LOUIS 1 1 3 5
COLUMBUS 0 1 1 2 FINAL
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: STL - T.J. OSHIE 13 (PATRIK BERGLUND) 5:02
2ND PRD: COB - (PP) FEDOR TYUTIN 9 (JASON WILLIAMS, RICK NASH) 3:05
STL - (PP) BRAD BOYES 30 (UNASSISTED) 17:49
3RD PRD: STL - DAVID PERRON 14 (PATRIK BERGLUND, ANDY MCDONALD
Mar 29 7:30 PM - NHL
END OF THE 3RD 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
ST LOUIS 1 1 3 5
COLUMBUS 0 1 1 2 END OF THE 3RD
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: STL - T.J. OSHIE 13 (PATRIK BERGLUND) 5:02
2ND PRD: COB - FEDOR TYUTIN 9 (JASON WILLIAMS, RICK NASH) 3:05
STL - (PP) BRAD BOYES 30 (UNASSISTED) 17:49
3RD PRD: STL - DAVID PERRON 14 (PATRIK BERGLUND, ANDY
Mar 29 7:29 PM - NHL
ST LOUIS 5
COLUMBUS 2
3RD PRD: STL - DAVID BACKES 26 (UNASSISTED) 16:17
Blues 5, Blue Jackets 2 3rd - 3:43Mar 29 7:22 PM - NHL
ST LOUIS 4
COLUMBUS 2
3RD PRD: COB - RICK NASH 36 (KRISTIAN HUSELIUS, KRIS RUSSELL) 15:09
Blues 4, Blue Jackets 2 3rd - 4:51Mar 29 7:21 PM - NHL
ST LOUIS 4
COLUMBUS 1
3RD PRD: STL - PATRIK BERGLUND 21 (UNASSISTED) 13:55
Blues 4, Blue Jackets 1 3rd - 6:05Mar 29 7:17 PM - NHL
ST LOUIS 3
COLUMBUS 1
3RD PRD: STL - DAVID PERRON 14 (PATRIK BERGLUND, ANDY MCDONALD) 8:33
Blues 3, Blue Jackets 1 3rd - 11:27Mar 29 7:08 PM - ------------------------------
St Louis
1 1 --2
Columbus 0 1 --1
------------------------------
Shots on goal:
----------------------------------
St Louis 11 10 --21
Columbus 12 5 --17
----------------------------------
Goalies : St Louis, Chris Mason (17 shots, 16 saves). Columbus, Steve
Mason (21 shots, 19 saves). Referees: Chris Lee, Greg
Mar 29 6:37 PM - NHL
ST LOUIS 2
COLUMBUS 1
2ND PRD: STL - (PP) BRAD BOYES 30 (UNASSISTED) 17:49
Blues 2, Blue Jackets 1 2nd - 2:11Mar 29 6:33 PM - NHL
ST LOUIS 1
COLUMBUS 1
2ND PRD: COB - FEDOR TYUTIN 9 (JASON WILLIAMS, RICK NASH) 3:05
Blues 1, Blue Jackets 1 2nd - 16:55Mar 29 6:09 PM - NHL
END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
ST LOUIS 1 1
COLUMBUS 0 0 END OF THE 1ST
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: STL - T.J. OSHIE 13 (PATRIK BERGLUND) 5:02
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
STL 11 11
COB 12 12
GOALIES: STL - CHRIS MASON
COB - STEVE MASON
Mar 29 5:45 PM - NHL
ST LOUIS 1
COLUMBUS 0
1ST PRD: STL - T.J. OSHIE 13 (PATRIK BERGLUND) 5:02
Blues 1, Blue Jackets 0 1st - 14:58Mar 29 5:32 PM
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