Golden Knights score six to end skid, send Blues to seventh straight loss

ST. LOUIS -- The Vegas Golden Knights scored four times in the second period in their first win in four games, 6-1 against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on Monday.

Alec Martinez scored twice, William Carrier had a goal and an assist, and Robin Lehner made 31 saves for the Golden Knights (25-10-2), who were 0-2-1 in their previous three games.
"Coming off the last two games, one of the things we didn't like was not putting the puck in the back of the net," Martinez said. "We tried to create opportunities. The forwards did a really good job of getting bodies in front of the goalie. It paid dividends."
Ville Husso allowed five goals on 18 shots for the Blues (16-16-6), who have lost seven straight (0-6-1) and eight in a row at home (0-6-2). Husso was replaced in the second period by Jordan Binnington, who made 12 saves on 13 shots.
The teams will play again here Wednesday.
Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo had an assist in his first game back in St. Louis since he signed an eight-year contract as a free agent Oct. 12. He played his first 12 NHL seasons with the Blues after they selected him with the No. 4 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft.
The Blues played a video tribute for Pietrangelo five minutes into the first period.
"I was just saying to [St. Louis forward Vladimir Tarasenko], it was harder before the game because I think of the emotions," Pietrangelo said. "Once you get in the game, you push that all aside. Once the video passed, and I knew that was coming, which was obviously special. That was a great job. That was important to me with my wife and kids in the stands. Then it was business as usual."

Leading 2-1, the Golden Knights scored three goals in 1:59 in the second to chase Husso from the game. Martinez made it 3-1 at 7:08 with his second of the game, Carrier scored for a 4-1 lead at 7:40, and Jonathan Marchessault made it 5-1 at 9:07.
"In the last three games, we were obviously disappointed in the offensive side," Marchessault said. "We had a lot contributing tonight. It's a good feeling."
Of the three-goal outburst by Vegas, St. Louis coach Craig Berube said, "Soft plays, coverage, things like that around our net, goals that probably should be stopped, things like that. … The Blues players are] probably a pretty unconfident group right now when things don't go right out there. Things are going to happen, goals are going to go in, you better be a lot mentally tougher than that, I'll tell you that. That's weak, weak-minded right now."
[Nicolas Hague
scored to make it 6-1 at 13:00 after a giveaway by St. Louis forward Robert Thomas.
Tomas Nosek scored his second goal in as many games to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead at 6:25 of the first period.

Martinez made it 2-0 at 12:25 on a wrist shot from the left point through traffic.
Tyler Bozak cut the Vegas lead to 2-1, scoring at 17:01 from the slot off a Zach Sanford pass during a delayed penalty.
The Blues have scored eight goals in their past seven games.
"We had a lot of good looks early on," St. Louis forward David Perron said. "Their goalie made some key saves, [Ivan Barbashev] had a breakaway, I think, [Jaden Schwartz] had a breakaway. I had another good look in the slot that I think hit his blocker. Those matter a lot when they don't go in.
"We've got to stick together in here and find a way to regroup. I know it's tough times right now, but that's really what I believe."
NOTES: Blues defenseman Colton Parayko was activated from injured reserve before the game after missing 21 games with a back injury. He was minus-3 with three blocked shots in 19:46. … Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves returned after missing three games with a lower-body injury and had four hits in 10:52. ... Vegas forward Mark Stone had an assist to give him 10 points (four goals, six assists) in five games against St. Louis this season. ... Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty had an assist to give him eight points (four goals, four assists) in four games against the Blues this season.