Blues extend hot stretch, take down Predators

Jordan Kyrou scored twice to lead the St. Louis Blues past the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Tuesday night for their third straight victory.

Justin Faulk and Jake Neighbours each had a goal and an assist for the Blues (34-28-7, 75 points), who are 10-2-2 in their last 14 games.

Dylan Holloway had three assists for St. Louis and Joel Hofer made 22 saves.

Brady Skjei scored and Juuse Saros made 17 saves for the Predators (25-34-8, 58 points), who are 0-2-1 in their last three games.

The Blues controlled the early play and took a 1-0 lead at 6:04 on a power play. Faulk scored on a one-time shot from above the left circle off Holloway’s pass.

St. Louis winger Zack Bolduc hit the post on a 3-on-2 rush 12 minutes into the period. Hofer stopped Jonathan Marchessault’s point-blank shot in the final three minutes of the period to keep the Blues ahead.

Neighbours increased the Blues’ lead to 2-0 by converting a 3-on-2 rush with 1:44 left in the period. He broke up the left wing, took a pass from Faulk, cut to his backhand and reached a shot around Saros.

The teams exchanged excellent scoring chances in the second. With 1:10 left in the period, Kyrou broke through to push the Blues’ lead to 3-0 with a long turnaround shot from the left boards.

But Skjei countered with a slap shot set up by Steven Stamkos in the final second of the period to cut the Predators’ deficit to 3-1.

The Predators applied pressure early in the third, but Forsberg couldn’t convert his point-blank shot during an early power play.

Kyrou put the game away with 6:15 left by converting a 2-on-1 rush with Holloway. Kyrou, who is one shy of his third straight 30-goal campaign, has five goals and three assists in his last three games.