NEW YORK _ Third periods have been shaky for the Blues, the one continuous problem over the first three games of the young 2017-18 season. They gave up two goals apiece in the third period against Pittsburgh, Dallas and the New York Islanders, squandering two-goal leads against the Penguins and Islanders to force overtime.
They didn't allow any goals in the third period Tuesday against the New York Rangers, but that didn't mean the final 20 minutes were a walk in Central Park. Thanks to some stellar work by Carter Hutton, the Blues made two first-period goals stand up in a 3-1 victory over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The Blues added a much-needed cushion on an empty-net goal by Jaden Schwartz at the 18:13 mark.
The Blues thus improved to 4-0 on the season, marking the first time since the 2013-14 season and just the second time in franchise history that they have won their first four games. The Blues have trailed for only 1 minute 54 seconds all season.
The Blues were very sound at the start of the second period, and began taking the play to the Rangers. St. Louis totally snuffed out a Rangers power play after Kyle Brodziak went off for holding at the 6:27 mark of the period. In fact, Scottie Upshall almost scored a short-handed goal after his hustle led to a breakaway chance. But Henrik Lundqvist turned away Upshall's shot from in close.
Blues coach Mike Yeo tinkered with his lines in the period, moving Vladimir Tarasenko onto the red-hot Brayden Schenn-Jaden Schwartz line for a while, and also pairing Vladimir Sobotka with Schenn and Schwartz.
Carl Gunnarsson, who went the entire 2016-17 season without an NHL goal, scored for the second time in four games this season just 15 seconds into Tuesday's contest.
But it didn't take the New Yorkers long to score the equalizer. With Schwartz off for hooking, the Rangers went on the power play just 78 seconds into the game. Mika Zibanejad scored at the 2:22 mark to tie game at 1-1.
The Blues regained the lead later in the period on a power play goal by Schenn. Paul Stastny launched a weak shot from the slot but it bounced off the boards behind Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Schenn was there and bounced the puck off the back pads of Lundqvist and into the net for his second goal of the season and a 2-1 Blues lead at the 13:30 mark.
