Shattenkirk lifts Blues past Predators in shootout
ST. LOUIS (AP) Kevin Shattenkirk took the blame for allowing the tying goal in the final minutes of regulation. He also took advantage of a chance to make up for it later.
The Blues defenseman, who also celebrated his 26th birthday on Thursday, scored the winner in the shootout to lift the St. Louis Blues to a 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators.
''I felt like that last goal late in the third was something that kind of fell on my shoulders and wanted the opportunity to get it back, especially for Brian (Elliott),'' Shattenkirk said. ''The opportunity presented itself so I really wanted to make it count.''
Jaden Schwartz, T.J. Oshie, Steve Ott and Ryan Reaves all scored in regulation for the Blues, who improved to 8-0-1 over their last nine games. Elliott made 33 saves, including 14 in the third period and four in overtime.
''We hate to relinquish a point to these guys, but we're staying on a roll,'' Shattenkirk said. ''I think we had a pretty solid game. They're a tough team. They never really die and they never quit, so it was a great way for us to stay with it and finally get one on them.''
Mike Fisher scored twice and added an assist for Nashville and Filip Forsberg and James Neal both scored goals. Carter Hutton made 31 saves.
The Central Division-leading Predators, who finished 3-1-1 against the Blues this season, got a goal from Neal with 2:38 remaining in regulation to tie the score and send it to overtime.
Nashville scored first, with 7:11 left in the first period, when Fisher deflected a shot from Roman Josi that ricocheted off the glass and then off Elliott's back and into the net. It was the 500th point of Fisher's career and the Predators' 13th power-play goal in 14 games.
Forsberg gave Nashville a 2-0 lead at the 5:36 mark of the second period when he knocked in the rebound of a shot from Craig Smith.
St. Louis answered with three straight goals.
Schwartz scored his 17th on the rebound off a shot by Vladimir Tarasenko on a partial breakaway after Tarasenko outraced Mattias Ekholm to the puck.
Then Oshie scored his 14th on a rebound of a Paul Stastny shot with 7:24 remaining in the second period and Steve Ott scored on a rebound of Shattenkirk's shot just 26 seconds later to give the Blues a 3-2 lead.
Nashville tied the score with 4:28 left in the period on Fisher's second goal, and 11th of the season.
Then St. Louis took the lead again with 1:45 remaining in the second after Reaves stole the puck from Seth Jones at the blue line and blasted a shot through Hutton's legs for a 4-3 advantage.
Neal tied it late in the third with his 16th of the season.
''The third period our guys showed up and really I think hit the gas pedal, generated a lot of forecheck play searching for that goal,'' Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. ''I thought we could have scored four or five goals in that period.''
Elliott and Hutton each made four saves in the extra period.
Oshie led off the shootout and scored for St. Louis. Roman Josi tied it with a goal in the third round. Then Shattenkirk faked out Hutton for the winner and Elliott made a save on Neal to end it.
''They're a good team,'' Oshie said. ''There's a little rivalry going there with us and Nashville. They're a good team. They're hard to play against. They play, it seems, for a full 60 and then some. They match up well against us. It's always fun to rise to these occasions to get the two points.''
NOTES: St. Louis G Martin Brodeur announced his retirement on Thursday morning. He holds the NHL records for wins, shutouts, games played and minutes played. He dropped the ceremonial first puck before the game. ... C Marcel Goc made his debut with the Blues on Thursday. St. Louis acquired him from Pittsburgh in exchange for C Maxim Lapierre. ... St. Louis C David Backes played in his 614th game with the Blues, passing Al MacInnis for eighth on the franchise's all-time list. ... Fisher's first-period power-play goal was the 500th point of his career. ... St. Louis LW Patrik Berglund (upper-body injury) left the game in the second period and C Jori Lehtera (upper-body injury) left in the third period and did not return. Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said both players will miss Friday's game in Carolina. . Nashville fell to 12-8-5 on the road this season.
