Red-hot Blues take care of Capitals
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Brian Elliott made 24 saves and four St. Louis Blues scored in a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
The goals by Jori Lehtera, Jaden Schwartz, David Backes and Patrik Berglund helped the Blues to their third consecutive win and a 10-1-0 record in their last 11 games.
"It was a good team win," Schwartz said. "Nice way to finish out a homestand."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Schwartz, Backes and Berglund each added an assist and Kevin Shattenkirk had two helpers in the victory.
Joel Ward scored and Justin Peters made 30 saves for the Capitals, who have dropped two in a row while scoring just one goal over that span.
Washington captain Alex Ovechkin had three shots and was a minus-2 in 20 minutes of ice time.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Capitals went the whole game without a power play.
Lehtera opened the scoring 9:11 into the game with a one-timer from the slot off Schwartz's behind-the-back pass.
Washington tied it on Ward's long snap shot, which squeaked through Elliott's pads 6:38 into the second period, but Schwartz gave the Blues the lead for good just under six minutes later on a rebound in close off Shattenkirk's shot.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Backes' goal 12 seconds into the third came after Peters misplayed a puck behind the net and was unable to scramble back to the crease in time, and Berglund capped the scoring with 3:19 remaining.
"That sort of tore the heart out of us," Capitals head coach Barry Trotz said of Backes' goal.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Capitals were shut out 1-0 by New Jersey on Friday ... The Blues went 4-1 on a five-game homestand and will start a four-game road trip on Tuesday in Boston ... The Capitals continue a three-game road trip on Tuesday against Arizona.