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Blues break 100-point mark in win over Jets

St.  Louis, MO  (SportsNetwork.com) - David Backes scored twice, including the 
game-winner with 6:51 left in the third period, as the St. Louis Blues secured 
a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday at Scottrade Center. 

Backes  broke  a 1-1 tie with  a power-play goal  at 13:09 of the third before 
being  credited  with an  empty-netter at  18:49 to help  St. Louis become the 
first team to cross the 100-point plateau in the NHL this season. 

Brenden  Morrow scored  St. Louis' other goal, while Ryan Miller made 16 saves 
to improve to 7-0-1 since being acquired on Feb. 28 by the Blues, who have won 
three straight and eight of their last nine games. 

St.  Louis has  also earned points in 22 consecutive divisions games (20-0-2), 
extending a franchise record. 

Eric O'Dell potted Winnipeg's lone goal, while Al Montoya allowed two goals on 
25 shots for the Jets, who have lost seven of their last eight games. 

With the game tied 1-1 just past the midpoint of the third, Winnipeg's Evander 
Kane was sent off for slashing to put the Blues on the power play. 

"We  just can't be in the box there," Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice said of 
Kane's  penalty, which occurred in the offensive zone. "That's the bottom line 
on that play." 

Late  in the  ensuing man-advantage, Ian Cole rifled a one-timer from atop the 
right  circle that was blocked by a defender, but the puck ricocheted into the 
slot and Backes pounded it into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead at 13:09. 

After  Montoya  left the net in  favor of the  extra attacker with just over a 
minute  left, Backes got behind the defense and had only an empty net in front 
of him when he was taken down from behind by Winnipeg's Jacob Trouba. 

The  referees  awarded Backes  with an  empty-netter to  account for the final 
margin. 

Just  after the final horn sounded, a brawl broke out between all five skaters 
on  both  teams and the  players had  to be separated  by the referees as they 
skated toward their respective locker rooms. 

"It was just a good battle," St. Louis' Steve Ott said of the scrum at the end 
of the game. "That's going to happen from time to time in this league but it's 
good that everyone to a man did their job." 

Following  a  scoreless first period,  Morrow got the Blues on the board 1:44 
into  the second  when he ripped a  one-timer past Montoya from the slot off a 
Derek Roy feed. 

However,  O'Dell  answered 1:55 into the  third with the teams skating 4-on-4. 
Kane  carried the  disc down the left  side and into the St. Louis zone before 
dishing to the slot for O'Dell, who deked past Miller before stuffing the puck 
in with a backhand to tie the game. 

                                   Game Notes 

St.  Louis reached 100-plus points for the sixth time in franchise history and 
the  second time in the past three seasons ... St. Louis has won four straight 
against  the  Jets ... Jay Bouwmeester  recorded two assists for the Blues ... 
Winnipeg went 0-for-1 on the power play. 

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