Blues stay hot, keep up in Western playoff hunt with 4-1 win over Predators

Matthew DeFranks, St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Mar 18, 2025

Published in Hockey

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Late-season visits to Nashville haven’t gone well for the St. Louis Blues in recent seasons.

But, then again, this season is proving itself different from the previous two.

With a 4-1 win over the Predators on Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena, the Blues continued their consistent play since the 4 Nations break and have now won three games in a row to keep pace in a crowded Western Conference playoff picture. At 9-2-2 since the break, St. Louis has more points than any other NHL team since play resumed on Feb. 22.

Jordan Kyrou scored twice, and Justin Faulk (power play) and Jake Neighbours also scored for the Blues, while Joel Hofer made 22 saves.

The Blues entered the night tied with Vancouver for the final wild-card spot in the West, but the Canucks have a game in hand. On Tuesday night, all four teams – Vancouver, St. Louis, Calgary and Utah – in the wild-card chase were in action.

Last season, a 6-3 loss in Nashville in early April essentially ended whatever lingering hope the Blues had for a playoff spot. Two years ago, a 6-1 loss in Nashville included a shouting match on the bench between former coach Craig Berube and Kyrou.

The Blues return home for a massive game on Thursday night against the Canucks.

Up early again

Two nights after scoring twice in the opening 90 seconds, the Blues again jumped out to a 2-0 lead in Nashville, although it took them 18:16 to do so.

Faulk scored on the power play 6:04 into the game on a one-timer from the top of the left circle, his third goal of the season. The Blues were on the power play thanks to a tripping penalty 200 feet away from the Predators net, taken by Zachary L’Heureux on Nick Leddy.

Neighbours extended the Blues lead to 2-0 with 1:44 remaining in the first period with a nifty tuck past Juuse Saros to finish a passing play on the rush. As soon as Pavel Buchnevich collected the puck behind the Blues net, Faulk jumped into the rush to create a 3 on 2 advantage in the neutral zone.

Faulk executed a give and go with Robert Thomas, and hit a driving Neighbours at the net. He evaded Saros, and slipped the puck in on the back post.

Entering Tuesday night, the Blues won the previous seven games that they’ve held a multi-goal lead in at some point.

Hofer huge when needed

During the last month of hockey, the Blues haven’t asked their goalies to make a ton of big saves, but Hofer delivered nonetheless on Tuesday night.

In the first period, he stopped Jonathan Marchessault in tight on a prime chance, about a minute before the Blues extended their lead from 1-0 to 2-0. During 4 on 4 play in the second period, Hofer denied Filip Forsberg on a breakaway after he pickpocketed Kyrou in the offensive zone. Hofer made another tough save on a tip by Colton Sissons with 6:22 left in the third period.

The Predators broke through on Hofer with 0.6 seconds left in the second period with a one-timer from Brady Skjei that just beat the second-period buzzer and cut the Blues lead to 3-1.

Kyrou scored the Blues’ third goal on a turnaround shot from the left wing that fooled Saros. Kyrou built the lead to 4-1 with 6:15 remaining in the third period, and now has five goals and eight points in the last three games.

Buchnevich hit hard

Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich left the game temporarily with 13:48 remaining in the second period after a hit by Predators forward Michael McCarron behind the Blues net. Buchnevich remained on the ice while Neighbours dropped the gloves with McCarron, and Buchnevich eventually needed help to the Blues bench.

Buchnevich returned for the third period.

McCarron was given a major penalty for interference (that was upheld after a video review) and a game misconduct, in addition to a fighting major. Neighbours was assessed a minor penalty for roughing and a major for fighting. The sequence resulted in two minutes of 4 on 4, and a three-minute Blues power play.

With Buchnevich in the dressing room, and Neighbours in the box, the Blues used Philip Broberg and Nathan Walker on the power play.

The rough stuff continued in the third period when Tyler Tucker nailed Luke Evangelista high on a hit in front of the Predators bench. Tucker fought Cole Smith for the hit, and both players received roughing minors and fighting majors. Tucker received an extra two minutes for an illegal check to the head.

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