Steen helps Blues snap losing streak at 5

By foxsports
Published



VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP)

 -- Alexander Steen scored his second goal 6:11 into the third period and added an assist as the St. Louis Blues snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.

Matt D'Agostini had a goal and an assist, and Jaroslav Halak made 21 saves as St. Louis bounced back from a 2-1 overtime loss in Edmonton on Saturday when top center Andy McDonald sustained an upper body injury.

Jannik Hansen and Kevin Bieksa scored, and Roberto Luongo finished with 25 saves for the Canucks, who had won four straight.

Steen, who opened the scoring early in the first period, beat two Canucks defenders to the puck after a faceoff in the Vancouver end, fought off a stick check in the slot, and lifted a backhanded shot past Luongo.

Missing three of their top forwards to injury -- T.J. Oshie and David Perron are also out -- the Blues tightened up against the Canucks, who scored 20 goals during its winning streak. St. Louis allowed just two shots in the first 16 minutes of the third period before the Canucks added five in a late flurry.

Steen made it 1-0 just 4:13 in shortly after the Blues killed a penalty against the Canucks, who own the NHL's top power-play unit. Luongo made a good blocker save on D'Agostini's hard shot off the right wing and scrambled across the crease. But Steen put in the rebound off the goalie's shoulder.

Hansen, moved up to the second line after Mason Raymond came down with the flu, tied the game midway through the period. He went hard to the net and batted in a loose puck after Keith Ballard's point shot bounced through traffic.

D'Agostini gave the Blues a 2-1 edge 1:55 into the second period by deflecting in Eric Brewer's point shot after it changed directions off a Vancouver stick.

Bieksa tied it again, shortly after the Blues missed on a great short-handed chance five minutes later, when his shot from the top of the circle went between the legs of teammate Ryan Kesler and Halak.

That goal came just after the power play expired. The Blues killed all five Vancouver chances, and were helped when Alex Edler's shot hit the post in the final minute of the second period.

St. Louis went 0 for 5 on the power play and hasn't scored on the man advantage in seven games.

NOTES: McDonald missed the game because of an upper body injury. He is day to day after being hit in the head by the knee of Edmonton forward Shawn Horcoff on Saturday. Cam Janssen replaced him in the lineup. ... Canucks D Andrew Alberts also sat out because of the flu. C Alex Bolduc was recalled from the AHL to fill in up front for Raymond. Aaron Rome filled in for Alberts.

Updated December 5, 2010