ST. LOUIS — Jake Neighbours and Ivan Barbashev scored goals 20 seconds apart in the third period and Jordan Binnington made 23 saves as the St. Louis Blues dealt a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Blues veteran Vladimir Tarasenko tallied two goals as well in the win.
Down 2-0, the Blue Jackets would battle back and tie the game up thanks to goals from Gustav Nyquist and Sean Kuraly, that would happen 18 seconds apart from each other.
Barbashev would snap the 2-all tie with a wrist shot from the slot to give the Blue the lead with 9:17 left in the third period. Neighbours added to the lead with a backhander from close range.
The Blues have won their last three season openers with Binnington in goal all three games.
The Blue Jackets are without star player Patrik Laine, who will be out for 3-4 weeks with an elbow injury he suffered during the teams' opening night loss at Carolina.
Columbus has now been outscored 14-5 over in it's first three games.
Elvis Merzlikins made 20 saves in his season debut for the Blue Jackets.
Columbus will host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.
Columbus 0 2 0 = 2
St. Louis 1 1 3 = 5
First Period
STL — Pavel Buchnevich (1) — (Power Play)Assists: Torey Krug (1), 5:05 Second Period
STL — Vladimir Tarasenko (1) — Assists: Justin Faulk (1), Robert Thomas (1), 1:04
CBJ — Gustav Nyquist (2) — Assists: Johnny Gaudreau (1), Erik Gudbranson (2), 2:21
CBJ — Sean Kuraly (1) — Assists: Mathieu Olivier (1), Eric Robinson (1), 2:39 Third Period
STL — Ivan Barbashev (1) — Assists: Brayden Schenn (1), Pavel Buchnevich (1), 10:43
STL — Jake Neighbours (1) — Assists: Nick Leddy (1), Brayden Schenn (2), 11:03
STL — Vladimir Tarasenko — (2)Unassisted, 18:29
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