Faulk’s power-play goal lifts streaking Blues past Ducks
By JOE HARRIS
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Justin Faulk had a power-play goal late in the third period and the St. Louis Blues extended their winning streak to seven games with a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night
Faulk’s goal snapped a 1-all tie with 4:13 left in the game. The Blues’ winning streak is the longest in NHL history for a team immediately following a losing streak of eight games or more in regulation play.
“We want to play well and we’re building and that’s what we wanted to be since the beginning of the year,” Faulk said. “We just know that we have to commit to the details of the game every night and there’s never an easy night.”
Noel Acciari scored in the first period and added an empty-netter to seal the win. Jordan Binnington made 27 saves for St. Louis, which also beat the Ducks on Saturday night at Enterprise Center.
“It’s one game at a time, one day at a time,” Binnington said. “That’s a tighter game than I think we wanted. We’ve got to recognize that and just stay on ourselves … and everyone keep that focus.”
Cam Fowler scored and John Gibson made 24 saves for the Ducks, who have lost six of their last seven games.
“We can look at the positives as best we can, but our power play had a chance to put the game away, a couple opportunities,” Fowler said. “We didn’t get the job done, they did. That’s the hockey game.”
Acciari gave the Blues the lead just 11 seconds into the game. Brayden Schenn set it up by stealing the puck from Fowler and feeding it to a wide open Acciari in front of the net.
“He’s played well from the get-go for me,” Blues coach Craig Berube said of Acciari. “The effort he gives every night and the details in his game are excellent.”
It was the sixth-fastest goal to start a game in Blues history. Alexander Steen and Greg Paslawski share the record at eight seconds.
“We’re starting to get some bounces and I think the confidence for some guys is starting to kind of come back from that eight game skid,” Acciari said.
Fowler made up for the early miscue by tying the game with just 17.5 seconds left in the first, banking a shot off Blues defenseman Nick Leddy’s leg.
Anaheim killed off a pair of Blues power plays in a scoreless second period. Gibson made a sprawling glove save on a Jordan Kyrou chance in the first man advantage.
“When you’re winning it’s fun, and everyone’s having fun, and things are going right,” Acciari said.
LATE SCRATCH
Blues D Torey Krug took part in the pregame warmups but left the ice early, before being officially ruled out by the team. He was replaced by Tyler Tucker.
No official statement on the type of injury was released, but Berube said it happened in practice.
SNAPPED STREAKS
Though Fowler scored, his three-game multi-point streak ended. Fowler is one of four defensemen in Ducks history to have had multiple points in three consecutive games, and the first since Scott Niedermayer in 2008-09.
Ducks C Adam Henrique’s season-long six-game point streak also ended.
NOTES: Blues F Pavel Buchnevich was named the league’s second star for the week ending Nov. 20. Buchnevich scored three goals and had four assists in four games. … Ducks D Kevin Shattenkirk (lower body) returned to the lineup after missing four games. Shattenkirk played for the Blues from 2010-2017. … Blues D Colton Parayko (upper body) returned after a three game absence.
UP NEXT
Ducks: Host the New York Rangers on Wednesday.
Blues: Visit Buffalo on Wednesday night.
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