Schwartz scores 2, Blues beat Jets for 8th straight win

[December 30, 2019]  Jaden Schwartz scored twice Sunday afternoon as the St. Louis Blues beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 for their eighth consecutive victory.

Ryan O'Reilly and Robert Thomas also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 25 saves for the Blues, who are 10-1-1 against the Central Division this season.

Nicholas Shore scored, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 of 27 shots for the Jets, who have lost six of their last eight games. Friday night in Winnipeg, the Blues edged the Jets 5-4 in overtime in the first half of this home-and-home sequence.

Blues coach Craig Berube sought a more grinding pace in the rematch. With the last line change at home, Berube was able get better matchups against the Jets' top line centered by Mark Scheifele.

Winning 12 of 17 first-period faceoffs helped the Blues dictate the play early. After Oskar Sundqvist's shot off the rush was blocked with just under six minutes left to play in the first period, Alex Pietrangelo stepped into the high slot as the trailer and fired a shot on goal.

O'Reilly converted the rebound from the left side for a 1-0 lead. It was his eighth goal of the season but his first goal at home.

The Jets came out flying in the second period and tied the game less than six minutes in. Jansen Harkins forced a turnover by Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, then Shore buried a one-time shot off a two-on-one pass from Logan Shaw.

Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz (17) celebrates after scoring against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

A bad Jets line change allowed the Blues to take a 2-1 lead with 4:51 left in the period. Schwartz jumped onto the ice and found himself alone on the right wing. He took Jordan Kyrou's cross-ice pass and beat Hellebuyck.

It was Schwartz's 12th goal of the season -- one more than he scored in 69 games last season.

The Jets nearly tied the game on a power play at the end of the second period, but Scheifele hit the post from the slot.

Opponents scored eight times in 16 power-play attempts against the Jets in the previous seven games. Their penalty-killing woes continued when Thomas banged home a rebound with the man advantage to push the Blues lead to 3-1 with 12:54 left.

Schwartz iced the game with an empty-netter after the Blues killed off a late penalty.

--Field Level Media

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