ST. LOUIS _ The Blues' first game without Kevin Shattenkirk looked a lot like their final three with him.
The Blues' offense produced just one goal and some big saves by Jake Allen in goal weren't enough to make a difference. The Blues dropped their fourth straight, losing to Edmonton 2-1 at Scottrade Center on Tuesday and continued to lose ground in the Central Division standings.
With Nashville coming back from two goals down to win in overtime, the Blues fell six points out of third place in the Central, while holding on by their teeth to the final wild card spot with 20 games to go. Pretty soon, a largely favorable schedule won't look so favorable.
The Blues haven't scored more than two goals in any of their past four games and their five-on-five play on Tuesday didn't generate a whole lot. Through two periods, the Blues had a power play for 3 minutes, 11 seconds and eight shots on goal. In the remaining 36:49 of the first two periods, they also had eight shots. Since the Blues last earned a point, Nashville has gotten 11.
Taking the ice less than 24 hours after the trade was completed sending Shattenkirk, one of the team's top offensive players, to Washington, the Blues continued to tread water, while the rest of the Western Conference is swimming away. The Blues have two days off before getting back into action in Winnipeg on Friday, the first of a run where they play eight out of 10 games on the road. On the bright side, the Blues have been better on the road lately, though they also have a two-game losing streak there. Thanks to the bye week, the Blues will have gone at least two weeks without a win.
Allen faced 19 shots in the first two periods, some under duress, and gave up a goal on a deflection and on a five-on-three.
The Blues scored first, on a power play. Alex Pietrangelo, stepping into Shattenkirk's spot on the first unit, took a shot from the blue line that Paul Stastny reached out and tipped in past Edmonton's Cam Talbot. Stastny had six shots on goal, and three tantalizing rebound opportunities he couldn't put in, against Chicago on Sunday.
That lead lasted 44 seconds. A shot from outside by Milan Lucic hit off the stick of Joel Edmundson and then off the glove of Allen and in. One of the hallmarks of the Blues' six-game win streak was playing from ahead, but in their past four games, they have held a lead for just 8 minutes, 3 seconds.
Late in the first, Magnus Paajarvi was called for slashing in a scramble in front of the Blues goal and 25 seconds later, Colton Parayko went to clear the puck and flipped it into the stands for a delay of game penalty, giving Edmonton 1:35 of a two-man advantage.
The Blues closed out the period without allowing a goal, thanks in large part to the pay of Allen. Alexander Steen broke his stick and had to go to the bench for a new one, briefly giving the Oilers a five-on-two. Leon Draisaitl had what seemed to be an open side of the net to shoot at, but Allen managed to get his stick across to the other side to block the shot and the Blues got a reprieve when the period ended.
The Blues still had 56 seconds of five-on-three to deal with at the start of the second, though. They didn't make it. Forty-one seconds into the period, Allen made a save on Connor McDavid and his momentum carried him out of the crease. McDavid poked the puck free, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got it, McDavid got it back from him and flipped it out front to Mark Letestu, who put it on goal before Allen could get back in place to make it 2-1.
