ST. LOUIS _ The Blues hadn't lost three straight games in regulation this season heading into Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils.
The secret?
"Home games," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock quipped in the morning.
Twice the Blues had lost two straight in regulation this season, both times on the road, and both times they returned to Scottrade Center to put out the fire.
That proved to be the case again Thursday, but the Blues made it more difficult on themselves this season. One game after blowing a three-goal lead in Nashville, they rallied from a two-goal hole themselves before pulling out a 5-2 win over the Devils in front of a crowd of 18,347.
The Blues improved to 13-1-3 at Scottrade Center, running their streak to 14 games with at least a point on home ice (11-0-3). They will resume their three-game homestand Saturday against Chicago.
Vladimir Tarasenko finished with one goal and two assists, and his three points gave him 37 points in 31 games, pulling him to within just two of Edmonton's Connor McDavid for the NHL lead.
The Blues also got goals from Jori Lehtera, Alex Pietrangelo, Nail Yakupov and Patrik Berglund, who wrapped up the night with an empty-netter.
Jake Allen, who had a shaky start, recovered in time to make 24 saves and win his eighth straight at Scottrade Center, where he improved to 10-0-2.
New Jersey's second goal of the night just 11 minutes, 36 seconds into the game had those streaks in jeopardy.
The Blues spotted the Devils two by surrendering their fourth shorthanded goal of the season to Adam Henrique, followed by an evne-strength goal by Miles Wood.
But down 2-0, Tarasenko went to work, scoring his 15th goal of the season late in the first period and assisting on both of the Blues' second-period goals to claim a 3-2 lead.
First, Tarasenko bumped himself into the top five in the NHL in goals with his fourth power-play goal of the season.
The Blues were on their second power play of the game when he set up at the top of the right circle and snapped a shot into a slither of a hole in the top shelf.
The goal extended Tarasenko's point streak to five games (2 goals, 6 assists) and pulled the Blues to within 2-1 with 2:54 left in the first period.
Defenseman Brad Hunt had one of the assists, giving him a point in each of his four games with the Blues (one goal, three assists) since being recalled from the American Hockey League.
The Blues outshot New Jersey 7-0 to start the second period and scored twice.
On a shot by Robby Fabbri, they tied the game at 2 just 2:05 into the period. Fabbri was originally credited with the goal, but replays showed that Jori Lehtera deflected it for his fourth goal of the season. Tarasenko had a secondary assist.
Then with the teams playing four on four, the Blues went ahead 3-2 on Alex Pietrangelo's sixth goal of the season. It was a tap-in for the defenseman, who stood at the doorstep of the Devils' crease and cashed in on a pretty pass from Tarasenko.
So Tarasenko had the shot and the pass of the game but he also had the whiff of the night, and that's what helped put the Blues in an early hole Thursday.
The Blues went on their first power play of the game and set up in the offensive zone. But when Tarasenko went to shoot the puck, he missed it completely, allowing Travis Zajac to send the puck up ice to Henrique. He beat Allen with a backhander for a 1-0 lead.
Moments later, Wood made a 2-0 advantage for New Jersey. Henrique put a shot off the end boards and the puck came out the other side of the net to Wood, who had a tap-in.
But after going ahead on Pietrangelo's goal in the second period, the Blues added goals from Yakupov and Berglund in the third period to win their second game over the Devils in a week.
