Tesink's hat trick lifts Blues in fifth-place game

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- Ryan Tesink connected for the hat trick and Sebastian Wannstrom scored twice as the St. Louis Blues earned an 8-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday in the fifth-place game of the Traverse City Prospects Tournament at Center ICE Arena.

The Hurricanes opened up a 3-0 lead on goals by Brent Pedersen (2013, No. 126), Brody Sutter (2011, No. 193) and Sergey Tolchinsky (free agent signee) in the second period before the Blues erupted for eight straight.

Wannstrom, a 2010 second-round pick (No. 44), began the scoring surge for St. Louis at 11:31 of the second before Tesink (2011, No. 162) and Ty Rattie (2011, No. 32) connected to tie the game near the end of the middle frame.

Tesink then scored a shorthanded goal 1:48 into the third and struck again at the 4:53 mark to give his team a 5-3 edge. Both goals were set up by center Curtis Valk (tryout). St. Louis' third-period scoring was closed out by Wannstrom, Gabriel Slight (tryout) and Dmitrij Jaskin (2011, No. 41), who has been a tower of strength for the Blues in this tournament.

Goalie Jordan Binnington (2011, No. 88) finished with 25 saves to earn his second win in three starts for St. Louis.

Follow Mike Morreale on Twitter at: @mikemorrealeNHL