Mayors bet music, BBQ sauce over Blues-Predators semifinal

Ryan Ellis and James Neal tallied goals as the Predators bagged a 2-1 win on Tuesday night for a 3-1 series lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal.

Allen’s save percentage was 0.938 prior to Game 4, yet somehow he and his Blues now trail Nashville 3-1 heading back to St. Louis for Game 5.

The Blues killed the penalty, but the Predators took a 1-0 lead three seconds after the power play on defensemen Ryan Ellis’ goal.

Almost ten minutes later James Neal gave the Predators a 2-0 lead.

Blues Defenseman Joel Edmundson made it 2-1 at 16:11 on a slap shot from the left circle.

St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91), of Russian Federation, crashes into Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35), of Finland, and defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14), of Sweden, during the first period in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Sunday, April 30, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen can only watch as the puck goes into the goal off the stick of Calgary Flames Troy Brouwer in the first period at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on March 25, 2017. While it would be nice to be have a 2-0 lead, it is never a bad thing to be going into your own barn tied. They need to play their game.

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson). Edmonton Oilers goalie Cam Talbot blocks a shot against the Anaheim Ducks during the second period in Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 28, 2017. “We knew that coming in it’s a huge game”.

Whatever explanation you have, Tuesday’s 4-1 win made this second-round series feel new again, not unlike the Capitals edging the Penguins last night. McLeod poked a rebound behind Allen for his first goal of this postseason, and his third career playoff marker.

“By the sound, not being able to see the puck and the direction it went, I thought it definitely had a chance and then you see play continue”, he said.

In New York, Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist to lead the Rangers over Ottawa 4-1, cutting their deficit to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference series.

The defenseman scored Sunday when he swatted a loose puck toward – and ultimately into – the net. It marked the seventh straight game in which Ellis scored, tying the franchise record set by Colin Wilson last spring. The Blues are at their best when they are at five-on-five. But in the playoffs the Preds have stormed out of the gate, scoring first in six of their seven playoff games including all three games in this series.

However, Rinne, Ellis and Nashville pushed St. Louis to the cliff’s edge. “They start to feel more confident”. After avoiding the penalty box in Game 2, aside from a coincidental minor in the third period, the Blues took a half-dozen minors on Sunday.