Blues defeat Ducks, extend lead for final West Division playoff spot

ST. LOUIS -- Robert Bortuzzo scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period to help the St. Louis Blues to a 3-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Enterprise Center on Monday.

Brayden Schenn scored, Justin Faulk had two assists, and Jordan Binnington made 19 saves for the Blues (24-19-7), who are 5-0-1 in their past six games.
"Coming off the road, a number of games on the road, and then coming home here, it didn't seem like we had a lot of jump or juice," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "But early on in the game, I thought that we did what we had to do to defend our net, blocking shots and things like that. It wasn't a pretty first period, but we limited them to three shots because we got in the way and blocked shots, things like that. So we did what we had to do.
"And then I thought our game got better as the game went along. It was one of those games where it wasn't a free-flowing game, just a lot of grinding out there and things like that. But on the other side, we found a way to win and guys did a good job, I thought. Not a lot of jump in our legs tonight."
The fourth-place Blues moved five points ahead of the Arizona Coyotes in the eight-team Honda West Division. Arizona lost 3-2 to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. The top four teams qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"This time of year, the points we need, it's all business and one game at a time and give it everything we have and refocus and prepare for the next one," Binnington said.

Ryan Getzlaf scored, and John Gibson made 29 saves for the Ducks (16-30-7).
"I like that we're still battling," Getzlaf said. "I mean, that's a good hockey team right there. We were right in that game there with opportunities to put pucks away. We have to take those positives and move forward."
Bortuzzo gave the Blues a 2-1 lead at 2:13 of the third period when he scored from the low slot off a feed from Jordan Kyrou after a Robert Thomas forecheck.
"I knew we had numbers just off the rush so I could hang in a little longer and then high-end guys like 'Tommer' and 'Rouzie' are able to spin off guys and make those really in-tight plays," Bortuzzo said. "I was expecting the puck to come below the goal line, and we score a lot of goals in that way. Just lingered a little longer than usual. Fortunately, it was able to go in and find a hole there."

Ryan O'Reilly's empty-net goal at 19:51 made it a 3-1 final. David Perron had an assist on the goal for his 600th NHL point (238 goals, 362 assists) in his 900th NHL game. The assist was his 400th with the Blues in his 600th game with them.
Schenn gave the Blues a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 5:52 of the second, but a Sammy Blais turnover, a bad pass into the skates of defenseman Colton Parayko, led to a Getzlaf unassisted goal 25 seconds later at 6:17 to tie the game 1-1.
"Ryan has a wealth of experience. He lives his life right," Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. "He's a very good leader. He comes in every night and gives everything he has. He's a good example. He's not only been a very good player for us every year, but he's been a very good mentor to our younger players.
"The guys we have in there are giving their best. When you're playing against a playoff team in a tight game, experience is a key."
NOTES:Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler sustained an upper-body injury with 14:08 left in the third period after a collision with Blues forward Zach Sanford and left the game. There was no update after the game. ... Getzlaf has scored seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games against the Blues this season. … Schenn (four goals, three assists) and Perron (three goals, four assists) each has scored seven points in seven games against the Ducks. ... O'Reilly has scored 10 points (six goals, four assists) in his past six games. ... The Blues power play was 1-for-2 and is 13-for-28 in the past 11 games against the Ducks.