Penguins win seventh straight

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS

Chris Kunitz scored the deciding goal on a backhander in the fourth round of a shootout and the Pittsburgh Penguins took a seven-game winning streak into the All-Star break with a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.

Patrik Berglund ended a seven-game point drought with a pair of goals and tied it on a penalty shot early in the third period for the Blues, who erased a two-goal, second-period deficit. They’re an NHL-best 21-3-4 at home and 9-0-2 against the Eastern Conference, recovering for a point one night after missing a chance to grab the overall NHL points lead in a loss at Detroit.

NHL scoring leader Evgeni Malkin got the other shootout goal for the Penguins after getting shut down by the Blues’ top line headed by David Backes. Malkin had totaled nine goals and 13 points in a six-game goal streak.

T.J. Oshie scored in the shootout for St. Louis.

Pittsburgh’s winning streak has followed a six-game skid — its longest since 2006. It marks a season best for the Penguins, who went to overtime for the third time and fourth in five games. The last three meetings between St. Louis and Pittsburgh have gone to overtime.

The Blues were short-handed when Oshie stole the puck from Kris Letang in the neutral zone and passed to Berglund, who was motoring up the middle before getting hooked by Letang in the slot. Berglund is 0 for 7 for his career in the shootout, but was slick on the penalty shot, giving Marc-Andre Fleury an inside deke before scoring on a high wrist shot off the forehand to make it 2-all.

Fleury played in his 22nd consecutive game, three more than his previous high, heading into the break. He was particularly strong the final few minutes.

Neal scored his 27th goal, matching his career best, as the Penguins capitalized on a holding penalty to Backes early in the second. It also was the 100th career goal for Neal, whose one-timer trickled between Elliott’s pads.