Flames' 7-game win streak ends as Blues prevail in 3rd straight

Vladimir Tarasenko extended his goal-scoring streak, helping the St. Louis Blues continue their winning ways.

Tarasenko scored a goal for the fifth straight game, taking the NHL lead, and added two assists to lift the Blues over the Flames 3-2 on Saturday for their third consecutive win.

The loss snapped a seven-game win streak for the Flames (15-15-2), who were 7-0 in December after going 3-8-1 in October and 5-6-1 in November. Calgary, which fell to 5-10-2 on the road, finishes off a four-game road trip on Sunday in Detroit.

"It's a pretty good feeling," Tarasenko said. "I think it's pushing you to move forward. I think this shows you can play with these guys and you can score these goals. It's a team game. My teammates make it for me. I just need to score more because I have really a lot of goal chances."

The positive is we've won seven in a row before tonight and lost one game. Now we have an opportunity tomorrow to finish 3-1 on this road trip which is a big road trip for us.- Flames defenceman Mark Giordano on Saturday's loss in St. Louis

Colton Parayko and Jori Lehtera also scored, Alexander Steen added two assists and Brian Elliott made a season-high 36 saves for the Blues (20-10-4). St. Louis beat the Flames for a sixth consecutive game, last losing at home to Calgary on April 1, 2011.

Mark Giordano had a goal and assisted on a goal by Sean Monahan for Calgary, while Karri Ramo made 19 saves.

"The positive is we've won seven in a row before tonight and lost one game," Giordano said. "Now we have an opportunity tomorrow to finish three-and-one on this road trip which is a big road trip for us. We've got to come out tomorrow ready to play, better off the hop. It starts with me."

Tarasenko's scoring streak is a career high. He's tallied in seven of the Blues' last eight games.

I think he's the most complete hockey player in this league. I like the way that he scores, that he goes on offence, the way that he's committed to team defence, the way he takes the body on the forecheck.- Flames coach Bob Hartley on the Blues' Vladimir Tarasenko

He opened the scoring with his 21st of the season, assisted by Carl Gunnarsson and Alexander Steen, just 1:23 into the first period. A shot from Gunnarsson deflected off the stick of Calgary defenceman T.J. Brodie and right to Tarasenko.

"Looking at Tarasenko, this guy right now I think he's the most complete hockey player in this league," Calgary coach Bob Hartley said. "I like the way that he scores, that he goes on offence, the way that he's committed to team defence, the way that he takes the body on forecheck, and it looks like he's pretty impressive."

The Flames outshot the Blues 23-13 in the first two periods and had three power plays in the second period but weren't able to score.

Down 3-0, Calgary scored at the four-minute mark of the third period on a tip-in goal by Monahan that was initially waved off but changed after a discussion between the officials. A review was inconclusive. Giordano and Josh Jooris earned the assists.

Giordano scored his seventh of the season, making it 3-2, with 3:53 remaining on a shot that deflected off defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk's stick and beat Elliott high to the blocker side.

The Flames pulled Ramo late in the third period but couldn't score again.