ST. LOUIS _ Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice, including the game-winner with 3 minutes, 51 seconds left in regulation, to give the Blues a 3-2 win over Nashville in Game 2 Friday night at Scottrade Center.
The Blues' win evened the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals at one game apiece and will send it to Nashville for Game 3 Sunday.
The game had everything the Blues needed _ offense from Tarasenko, a goal from the struggling power-play unit, a bounce-back game from goalie Jake Allen after giving up a difficult game-winner on Wednesday, and no penalties.
Tarasenko scored his second and third goals of the playoffs, the power play notched its second of the postseason, Allen made 22 saves and no Blue sat in the penalty box.
But it didn't come easy for the Blues, who had fight off a fierce attack from the Predators in the final minute with goalie Pekka Rinne pulled for an extra attacker. The building, which packed in 19,506 on Friday, rocked with each Allen save down the stretch.
The Blues' fifth win of the playoffs and first in this series didn't come easy. They trailed Nashville 2-1 with 16:53 left in regulation, but tied the score 2-2 on Jori Lehtera's first goal of the playoffs and then went on ahead on Tarasenko's second of the game.
Lehtera, who had been a popular pick to be a healthy scratch among many fans, poked a loose puck past Rinne, tying the score with 12:21 left in regulation.
Tarasenko had also been under some pressure for not delivering much offense in the playoffs, but after taking a pass from Jaden Schwartz that was kicked up to him by defenseman Joel Edmundson, he buried the game-winner.
So on just 20 shots, the Blues scored three for the second straight game against Rinne.
The second game of the series began much like the first with the Blues dominating the play and Nashville coming up with the first goal.
Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo failed to clear the puck, and on just the Predators' second shot, Ryan Ellis' blast from the point brushed off Colton Sissons and James Neal on the way past Allen.
It was the sixth straight goal by the opposition in which Pietrangelo was on the ice, including five all five by Nashville at that point and the last one against Minnesota.
The game appeared headed to the first intermission with the Predators leading, but with 1:32 left in the first period, Vernon Fiddler initiated a knee-on-knee hit on Colton Parayko that opened the door for the Blues.
Parayko lay on the ice briefly in pain, while defensive partner Joel Edmundson gave Fiddler a shove. Parayko and Fiddler both went to their respective locker rooms, Parayko for further evaluation and Fiddler for a shower after being assessed a five-minute kneeing major and a game misconduct.
The Blues would only see 1{ minutes of their five-minor power play, and they wouldn't need all of that. A unit that was just one for 17 in the postseason on the man-advantage scored on its first shot, a wrister from Tarasenko that with Paul Stastny screening in front beat Rinne to the far side.
So with 19 seconds left in the period, the Blues tied the score 1-1, and they got Parayko back to start the second period. And for the second straight game, following Kevin Fiala's departure in Game 1 after a serious leg injury, Nashville was down to just 11 forwards with a lot of game left to play.
Tarasenko's second goal of the postseason, which was his first on the power play since March 16, was the only offense the Blues managed on the man-advantage. In fact, they had just two shots in the five minutes.
That was theme of the night for the Blues, who after two periods Friday had nine minutes of power-play time and just four attempts. The Predators, meanwhile, still hadn't had a power play and were limited to just nine shots overall through 40 minutes.
Allen saw more action than that between TV timeouts in Game 1 against Minnesota, his 51-save performance, but he didn't have the night off completely. There were saves on Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg early in the third period to keep it a 1-1 game.
But moments later, Nashville picked up the go-ahead goal after another Blues' turnover in the defensive zone. This time, Vladimir Sobotka tried to make a quick outlet pass to Patrik Berglund, but it was intercepted by Ellis, who skated deeper into the offensive zone and ripped a glove-side shot past Allen with 16:53 left.
But the Blues tied the score on Lehtera's goal and then got the game-winner from Tarasenko, sending the Blues to the Music City all square at one game apiece.
