National Hockey League
St. Louis 3, Nashville 1
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, November 19, 2016
Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Referees: Frederic L'Ecuyer, Wes McCauley
Linesmen: Scott Driscoll, Pierre Racicot
Attendance: 18922

ST. LOUIS -- Jake Allen knows he is on a pretty good hot streak at home, but the St. Louis Blues goalie can't provide any reasons for that success.

Allen stopped 30 of 31 shots Saturday night to help the Blues win their third game at home this week, a 3-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. All three wins came with Allen in goal, and he raised his record at home to 6-0-2 in his last eight starts.

Dating to last season, Allen has gone 14 consecutive regular-season starts in which he has not allowed more than two goals.

"I can't tell you," Allen responded when asked about that success. "I wish I could give you an answer. I've been asked that all week. We take pride in playing at home, but we've got to take more pride in playing on the road."

The three-game winning streak equaled the longest streak of the year for the Blues, who also won their first three games to begin the season.

Center Kyle Brodziak and right winger Vladimir Tarasenko scored in the third period to break a 1-1 tie and give the Blues the win, which improved their home record this season to 8-1-2.

Brodziak scored off a rebound on a two-on-one break with left winger Scottie Upshall. Goalie Pekka Rinne stopped the initial shot by Upshall, but the rebound off his pad went directly to Brodziak, who flipped it into an open net at 7:28 of the third period.

Tarasenko increased the lead to 3-1 at 11:36 with his team-leading seventh goal of the season.

"Before that third goal, we had a huge chance in front of their net," Nashville defenseman Roman Josi said. "Kind of tough luck that comes your way when you don't score."

That's the way Allen has been playing of late, said Blues coach Ken Hitchcock.

"The save before the third goal was unbelievable," Hitchcock said. "Great save ... That's what's been going on lately. He makes the big save at the right time, which is what we've had here for years. We kind of have expected it, and now that part is starting to come back."

The way Allen has played has provided his teammates with a lot of confidence that if they can get a couple of goals they will have an excellent chance to win the game.

"We feel we are a much better team when we play with a lead," Upshall said. "Our goaltending, its tough if games are tied. We make it hard on them. We've been able to get leads at home, we've just got to bring that on the road."

In contrast to their home success, the Blues are just 2-5-1 on the road this season.

Saturday night marked the first time this month that Rinne had allowed more than two goals in a game, and it was his first loss in regulation in eight starts in November.

The game was tied going into the third period after a goal by Blues right winger David Perron early in the second period and a power-play goal by Predators center Mike Ribeiro at 8:59, only the third power-play goal allowed by the Blues in 46 chances at home this season. It also was only the second scored by the Predators in 21 chances in their last seven games.

Predators right winger James Neal did not score, snapping his string of consecutive games with at least one goal at six. It's his personal career high and tied the franchise record.

Neal had four shots on goal but could not get the puck past Allen.

"We had a good week, a solid week," Allen said. "But we still have a long way to go. We're getting better every game."

Allen did not allow a goal in the third period in any of the three games, and the Blues scored five times in the final period in the wins over Buffalo, San Jose and Nashville.

"I try not to think about it because we are used to it and blessed because of it," Perron said of Allen's play. "We have to just keep moving forward."

NOTES: After being a healthy scratch in all but one game this season, RW Ty Rattie was in the Blues lineup Saturday. D Robert Bortuzzo also returned after missing the last 10 games because of a lower-body injury. Rattie's only other appearance came Oct. 18 in Vancouver. ... The Predators sent D Anthony Bitetto to Milwaukee of the AHL for conditioning purposes Saturday. The only game Bitetto played this year was the season opener. ... The Predators return home to play Tampa Bay on Monday night while the Blues head to Boston for a Tuesday night matchup against the Bruins and their first game against their former captain, David Backes.
Top Game Performances
 
Nashville   St. Louis
Mike Ribeiro 1 Points Kyle Brodziak 1
Mike Ribeiro 1 Goals Kyle Brodziak 1
Craig Smith 1 Assists Jay Bouwmeester 1
Mike Ribeiro 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Pekka Rinne .912 Save Percentage Jake Allen .968
Pekka Rinne 31 Saves Jake Allen 30
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Nashville 31 1 1-3 3-3 6 28
St. Louis 34 3 0-3 2-3 6 29
Upcoming Games
  • St. Louis will play their next game on the road against Boston. The Blues have a W/L % of .600 after a win and .444 after a loss.
  • Nashville will play their next game at home against Tampa Bay. The Predators have a W/L % of .286 after a win and .500 after a loss.