Schenn, Kapanen lead St. Louis Blues' 6-3 rout of Ducks
Brayden Schenn and Kasperi Kapanen had two goals and an assist apiece in the St. Louis Blues' 6-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night.
Jakub Vrana and Sammy Blais also scored in a three-goal first period, and Jordan Binnington made 22 saves in St. Louis' fourth win in five games. The sixth-place Blues are all but certain to miss the playoffs for only the second time since 2011, but they routed the Ducks while scoring at least five goals for the third time in their last six games.
Schenn secured his seventh career 20-goal season with his first score, while Kapanen matched his career high with his fifth three-point game
Nikita Nesterenko scored his first NHL goal and John Gibson stopped 30 shots for the Ducks, who have lost four straight. Troy Terry and Ryan Strome also scored as lottery-bound Anaheim dropped to 1-5-1 on its eight-game homestand in the final weeks of its franchise-record fifth consecutive non-playoff season.
Anaheim had another miserable night that underlined its status as the NHL's worst defensive team this year and one of the worst in recent seasons. The Ducks have already set a franchise record for goals allowed, with the number now up to a league-high 297, and their goal differential dropped to an NHL-worst minus-108.
Terry scored his 21st goal just 1:46 after the opening faceoff on a power play, but the Ducks gave it right back 15 seconds later when their poor spacing allowed Vrana to walk in alone for his seventh goal.
Nesterenko, the Ducks' 21-year-old rookie, then scored his first goal in his third NHL game, converting a short-angled shot off a pass from Mason McTavish just 4:05 into the first period.
Nesterenko is a Brooklyn native who played at Boston College. Minnesota drafted him in the sixth round in 2019, and Anaheim acquired him three weeks ago in the trade sending John Klingberg to the Wild.
Blais and Schenn put the Blues ahead with goals 19 seconds apart late in the first, capitalizing on blown coverage by Anaheim's hapless defense for both scores.
St. Louis went ahead 5-2 just 91 seconds into the second period when Schenn and Kapanen scored 29 seconds apart.
Terry, the Ducks' two-time All-Star forward, missed the third period with an undisclosed injury.
UP NEXT
Blues: At Los Angeles on Sunday.
Ducks: Host Colorado on Monday.