ST. LOUIS (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice, Charlie Lindgren made 26 saves and the St. Louis Blues capped a home-and-home sweep against the Dallas Stars with a 4-1 win Friday night.
Lindgren improved to 5-0 since taking over in net for the injury-ravaged Blues.
Logan Brown scored, Ivan Barbashev added an empty-netter and Pavel Buchnevich recorded two assists as St. Louis won for the fifth time in six games. The Blues have points in their last seven games (5-0-2) overall and in nine straight home games (8-0-1) since Nov. 18.
Jason Robertson scored and Braden Holtby made 30 saves for the Stars, who lost their fifth straight game. Dallas has scored three times in its last four games.
The Stars went 0 for 3 on the power play and nearly gave up a short-handed tally as Buchnevich was awarded a penalty shot during Dallas' third period man advantage. Buchnevich hit the post on a backhand attempt.
Brown broke the scoreless tie at the 3:35 mark of the second period, banking in the rebound of Colton Parayko's slapshot between Holtby’s pads to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.
Tarasenko made it 2-0 with 10 seconds left in the second, finding a bouncing puck in the high slot and converting on a quick wrist shot.
Robertson’s goal, a rebound off John Klingberg's shot with 7:49 left in the third. got the Stars back within one.
Tarasenko answered with a power-play goal two minutes later to regain the Blues’ two-goal lead. Tarasenko has five points (three goals, two assists) in his last two games.
MILESTONES
Klingberg played in his 500th career game, while Barbashev suited up in his 300th.
WELCOME BACK
Blues G Jordan Binnington was removed from COVID-19 protocols Wednesday. He served as Lindgren’s backup.
Stars LW Roope Hintz and RW Alexander Radulov returned to the lineup after missing time due to an illness.
NOTES: The Stars recalled F Riley Tufte and D Thomas Harley from the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League. ... Blues C Robert Thomas (lower-body injury), C Jordan Kyrou (upper body), G Ville Husso (lower body) and D Jake Walman (upper body) skated Friday morning for the first time in a team setting.
UP NEXT
Stars: Host Chicago on Saturday.
Blues: Travel to Winnipeg on Sunday.
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
