ST. LOUIS _ When the Blues and Jets met five days ago in Winnipeg, the Blues fell behind 3-0, fought back to cut the lead to 3-2 in the third before giving up two empty-net goals.
On Thursday, the Blues fell behind 2-0, so their two goals got them even this time. But the Jets got a goal in the third to retake the lead and then held on for a 4-2 win that snapped the team's 11-game streak with at least a point at home.
Winnipeg went back ahead with 10:56 to go in the third. Jordan Binnington blocked a shot on a rush by Jack Roslovic but couldn't control the rebound. With the puck bouncing around in front of the goal Tyler Bozak's clearing attempt was batted out of the air and and came to Andrew Copp in front, who backhanded it in with the puck hitting something on the way.
The Blues finally got Binnington out of the net with about a minute to go and allowed an empty-net goal by Nikolaj Ehlers with 10.2 seconds to play.
Down 2-0 in a game they were statistically controlling, the Blues went nuts in the final 10 minutes of the second period, practically setting up camp in the Winnipeg zone and scoring twice to even their game with the Jets at 2-2 after two periods.
The shots on goal in the game were even with 10:37 to go in the second, when the Blues went on a power play, and after that, the Blues outshot Winnipeg 11-3 and scored twice.
The scoring began when the second unit on the Blues power play got some time. Robert Thomas had a shot go off the post and the rebound came to Parayko, who scored in his second straight game, quickly putting the puck into the open side of the net before Connor Hellebuyck could get over to make it 2-1.
That goal came with 8:44 to go in the second and 2:20 later, the game was tied. After some extended stretches of pressure where the Blues kept the puck in the zone again and again and again. Carl Gunnarsson took a shot from the blueline which hit something on the way in and got past Hellebuyck. Originally, the goal was credited to Zach Sanford, which would have extended his point streak to seven games, but later it was changed to Gunnarsson for his second goal of the season. The assists on the play went to Alex Pietrangelo and Ryan O'Reilly.
Winnipeg had gone up 2-0 when Parayko got caught up ice on a rush, turned the puck over and Winnipeg had a three-on-one going the other way. Patrik Laine, who has a history of scoring against the Blues, finished it off.
In a first period not that different from when the Blues and Jets met five days ago in Manitoba, the Blues came out strongly and had plenty of chances but couldn't score and fell behind.
The Blues had 13 shots on goal, and some were in close, but just as happened last week, they haven't been able to get it past Hellebuyck.
Winnipeg got its goal 7:55 into the period when rookie Jansen Harkins got the puck in the circle to goalie Jordan Binnington's right, moved ever so slightly to open a lane past defenseman Justin Faulk and put the puck in the top corner for his first NHL goal.
The Blues had some good chances, including 48 seconds of a five-on-three advantage, though, as anyone who has been following the Blues knows, that's the worst possible thing. The Blues had two shots on goal in those 48 seconds and didn't score, extending their regular-season drought in five-on-three situations to their past 20 times, covering 23 minutes and 33 seconds.
A minute and a half after Harkins' goal, Blake Wheeler had a breakaway but was stopped by Binnington.
Prior to the game, the Blues presented veteran forward Alexander Steen with a silver stick in commemoration of his 1,000th NHL game. He also got a Rolex watch, a crystal plaque from the league and a painting from his teammates.
