ST. LOUIS _ After a first-round win over Minnesota, the Blues remained underdogs going into their Western Conference semifinal series against Nashville, and understandably so after the Predators busted out the brooms for a first-round sweep of Chicago.
The story line seemed to be shaping up that way Wednesday night, but this has been a bit of a magical run the past couple of months for the Blues and a sellout crowd of 19,154 at Scottrade Center thought they might be seeing more of it.
Vladimir Sobotka and Jaden Schwartz erased a two-goal Nashville lead with back-to-back goals in the third period, but then the Predators' Vernon Fiddler put a fluky goal past Blues netminder Jake Allen with 5 minutes, 5 seconds remaining in regulation to ruin the comeback.
Nashville hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Blues and now three-for-three on the road this postseason, the Predators took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series into Game 2 on Friday.
In a matchup of the two best goalies so far in this postseason, Allen allowed four goals on 32 shots in Game 1, while Nashville's Pekka Rinne surrendered three on 30 shots. It was the most goals Allen has allowed this postseason and it tied the amount Rinne surrendered in the entire first round.
The Blues had plenty of other shortcomings in Game 1, though, most notably in the faceoff circle, which continues to be a playoff in the postseason. Nashville won 67 percent of the draws Wednesday.
The Blues had a solid start, but were playing catch up most of the night, something they didn't have to do in their series win over Minnesota. The Predators had leads of 2-0 and 3-1, but the Blues did finally catch them at 3.
Schwartz's third goal of the playoffs pulled them within 3-2 with 13:12 remaining in regulation. Paul Stastny put a pass in front of the net that Schwartz stopped with his backhand and then wrapped around Rinne with his forehand.
Then just 2:34 and two shots later, Sobotka tied the scored at 3 with his third goal in six games after returning to the NHL following a three-year hiatus.
Magnus Paajarvi made a play along the wall in the defensive zone, and Sobotka carried the puck the length of the ice before putting a shot over Rinne's left shoulder for the equalizer.
Scottrade Center came alive with chants of "Let's Go Blues!" They were kept alive as the team pulled Allen for an extra attacker but the Blues couldn't find another clutch goal and dropped the first game to fall to 1-2 at home in the postseason.
The game began to turn in the Predators' favor early in the second period after a long delay on the ice. Kevin Fiala was checked into the boards by Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, and after having his left leg twisted on the play went off on a stretcher. He was eventually taken off in an ambulance and that led to a 17-minute delay.
Since the lone ambulance at the rink was taking Fiala to a nearby hospital, officials announced that they had to wait for a replacement before play could resume.
Players just stood near their benches until a second ambulance arrived and they dropped the puck again 18:14 left in the second period. And 36 seconds after that happened, P.K. Subban scored for a 2-0 Predators' lead.
The Blues trimmed it to 2-1 with 11:56 left in the middle period on Colton Parayko's goal. But then came a long stretch of power-play time for Nashville and the Predators restored their two-goal cushion with another power-play goal.
On a Parayko tripping penalty and a Kyle Brodziak slashing penalty, the Blues were short-handed for a span of 2:24. They were outshot 8-0 nothing in that stretch and gave up another power-play goal with 7:49 left.
The goal belonged to Filip Forsberg, but it came on another blast by Subban. He finished with one goal and two assists Wednesday, becoming the first defensemen in Preds' playoff history to have a three-point night.
The Blues got back in the game on the goals by Schwartz and Sobotka, but Fidder's game-winner came just 5:33 later.
Nashville's other goal Wednesday came in the first period and also on the power play. It belonged to Colin Wilson and happened with David Perron in the penalty box for goalie interference.
