ST. LOUIS (AP) — Filip Zadina and Mikael Granlund scored goals just 27 seconds apart and the San Jose Sharks dealt a damaging blow to the St. Louis Blues’ slim playoff chances with a 4-0 win on Saturday night.
Mackenzie Blackwood made 37 saves for San Jose, which has the worst record in the NHL and snapped a nine-game winless streak with its first victory since March 9.
Luke Kunin also scored and Jan Rutta added an empty-net goal for the Sharks, who beat St. Louis for the second time in as many tries this season. It was Blackwood’s 10th career shutout and second this season.
Joel Hofer made 16 saves for the Blues, who were 7-1-1 in the last nine games. Their loss wrapped up a playoff spot for Vancouver.
The Blues entered play Saturday five points behind Los Angeles for the final wild card in the Western Conference. The Kings, who have a game in hand on St. Louis, played at Calgary later Saturday.
San Jose took control with a dominant second period, outshooting St. Louis 12-3 and scoring three times.
Zadina capitalized on a turnover by Blues forward Zack Bolduc to break the scoreless tie at 8:30 of the second. Zadina snapped an eight-game scoring drought after hitting the post on a tip earlier in the period.
Granlund made it 2-0 seconds later, extending his points streak to four games by pouncing on the rebound of Fabian Zetterlund’s shot that bounced behind Hofer.
Kunin added to the lead with his ninth goal of the season with 2:02 left in the second.
Blackwood kept the game scoreless in the early going despite the Blues outshooting the Sharks 11-3 in the first period. Blackwood got his pad on Brayden Schenn’s chance after the St. Louis captain got behind the San Jose defense and he made saves on point-blank chances for Brandon Saad and Colton Parayko.
The Sharks had just 39 seconds of offensive zone possession in the first.
Blackwood came up big again in the third, turning away 23 shots as the Blues tried to mount a rally.
UP NEXT
Sharks: Host Seattle on Monday night.
Blues: Host Edmonton on Monday night.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
