DENVER _ The Blues' winning streak hit nine on Saturday afternoon with a 3-0 win over Colorado at Pepsi Center.
It matches the second-longest win streak in Blues history, accomplished in 2002. They will try to match the team record when they face Minnesota on Sunday in St. Paul. It also matches the team's second-longest road winning streak at seven games.
In other streak news, Vladimir Tarasenko extended his streak, scoring a goal to run his point streak to 11 games. That goal, early in the third period, broke a 0-0 tie and was the 25th of the season for Tarasenko. He has seven goals in the past five games and 14 goals in 2019. He also had an assist on an empty-net goal by Jaden Schwartz with 1:36 to play.
"Vlady had a lot of very good looks," Blues coach Craig Berube said, "which is great. That line's been doing a good job, they work hard together, work in the corners together. Vladi's a scorer. He gets the puck and he scores."
Jake Allen got the start in goal and posted his 18th career shutout. He stopped 32 shots and had to make some tough saves in the third period when the game was very much in doubt. It was Allen's second shutout of the season and the team's second in a row and third in the past six games.
"He had a really good game, start to finish," Berube said. "He works extremely hard in practice and keeps prepared. He's a good pro. He knows the situation and what's going on. He did a great job."
It was another dominant effort for the Blues, who controlled the puck for long stretches but had trouble breaking through on Colorado goalie Semyon Varlamov. They finally did that 4:01 into the third period when Tarasenko fired in a pass from Ryan O'Reilly from the right circle.
The Blues made it 2-0 less than a minute later when Zach Sanford charged the net and got his stick on a pass in front by Oskar Sundqvist to tip it between Varlamov's legs. It was the seventh goal of the season for Sanford.
Colorado had some good scoring chances in the third but Allen stood strong. Colorado pulled its goalie with 3 minutes to go and the Blues sealed it when Schwartz put it into an empty net with 1:36 to play.
The Blues hold on to third place in the Central and put some distance between them and Colorado, one of the teams in the battle for a playoff spot. The Blues are now eight points up on Colorado.
"I think we're confident," Berube said. "The team really understands the work that has to be put in their game to game. We need that all the time and need the same tomorrow. Minnesota is a good team at home and they're fighting like us. We understand how hard they have to work and have to continue to do that."
