PITTSBURGH _ Punxsutawney Phil was in the house Tuesday night, but this was no "Groundhog Day" for the Blues.
A team that had lost a season high three straight games and allowed 18 goals in that stretch went into PPG Paints Arena, where the Pittsburgh Penguins had a point in 14 straight games and shutout a club that had 24 goals in its last four games.
The Blues were staring at a daunting two-game stretch before the NHL All-Star Game with Pittsburgh and Minnesota on the docket, but got it started Tuesday with a 3-0 win over the Penguins.
Colton Parayko, Ryan Reaves and Scottie Upshall scored the goals and Carter Hutton picked up the shutout, the sixth of his career and second this season. He made 34 saves, as Pittsburgh, which leads the NHL with 3.63 goals per game, was blanked for just the third time this season.
Parayko scored a power-play goal in the first period and Reaves added an even-strength goal in the second period for a two-goal lead. The Blues needed two penalty kills in the opening six minutes of the third period to preserve their lead, which they got, finishing six for six on the PK against the NHL's No. 1 power play on home ice.
The club improved to 4-0-1 in their last five trips to PPG Paints Arena and will now carry that momentum to Minnesota for Thursday's date with the Western Conference-leading Wild.
The Blues played as collected as they have in some time, supporting each other all over the ice, holding pucks in the offensive zone and hustling to get back and help on defense.
They were able to score the game's first goal, the first time that's happened in their last five games, and that certainly helped.
It came on the power play from Parayko, whose third goal of the season provided the 1-0 lead with 5 minutes, 54 seconds left in the opening period.
David Perron put a pass in Parayko's wheelhouse and with a windup that nearly nicked the Jumbo-tron, the defenseman sizzled it past Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray.
The Blues added to their lead in the second period with Reaves' third goal of the season. The fourth-line forward saw a play develop off the wall in the neutral zone and wasted no time darting to the puck for a breakaway. He showed a burst of speed and power, outmuscling Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz to the net and beating Murray.
The Blues took that 2-0 lead into the third period, but put it in jeopardy when they took their 11th "too many men" penalty of the season 35 seconds after the puckd dropped on the final frame.
They erased that penalty, and then had to nullify a high-sticking call against Perron to maintain their two-goal lead. At that point, the power plays were 5-1 in Pittsburgh's favor, but Hutton and the PK kept the Penguins off the board on 11 shots on the man-advantage.
The Blues' third goal Tuesday came in the third period, off the stick of Upshall. It was his fifth of the season, meaning the team's offense came from three players who entered the night with a combined seven goals.
The Pens had double-digit shots in all three periods, but Hutton held on, improving to 5-1-2 in his last eight starts. Jake Allen is scheduled to get the start Thursday in Minnesota, but the Blues could decide to keep Hutton in the net following the shutout.
