Blue Jackets defeat Blues for fourth win in row

COLUMBUS -- Jet Greaves made 37 saves to help the Columbus Blue Jackets to their fourth straight win, 3-2 against the St. Louis Blues at Nationwide Arena on Saturday.

Greaves stopped 17 of 18 shots in the third period to hold off a late push by the Blues.

“It was a bit busier but I think that's what you play for, is those moments,” he said. “The guys did a good job of clearing the second chances and everything, so it made my job a little easier.

“It's fun for me. I'm just trying to focus on what I can do to help the guys win the game. Just try to stop each puck that comes my way.”

Zach Werenski scored for the third straight game and an assist, and Charlie Coyle and Sean Monahan each had goals for the Blue Jackets (7-4-0), who have won six of seven.

“It took everyone from our penalty kill to our power play, Jet, everyone throughout our lineup,” Werenski said. “It's a big win for us. I feel like we can maybe be a little bit more aggressive in the third when we have leads. I felt like we were on our heels a little bit there, but at the end of the day, we got the job done.”

Justin Faulk and Nick Bjugstad scored, and Joel Hofer made 32 saves for the Blues (3-7-2), who have lost seven straight (0-5-2).

“What I liked was our defensive habits were significantly better,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “And I liked our first period and our third period.

“The biggest dislike from the game was too many turnovers, trying to go east-west against a team that had three back all night long. In the third period, we got in behind them and worked and forechecked and ended up generating a lot of scoring chances.

“We're trying to stay in the moment. That's the way we always are with our process. And right now, the last two games, our process has been good and as we continue to improve upon it then the results will come.”

Faulk put St. Louis up 1-0 at 3:37 of the first period. Oskar Sundqvist sent a cross-ice pass from the left boards to Faulk in the right face-off circle, who beat Greaves with a wrist shot.

Coyle evened it 1-1 at 4:38 by jabbing a loose puck in the crease over the goal line off the right skate of Faulk. Coyle also had four assists against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

Werenski made it 2-1 at 11:55 of the second period with a shot from the right dot that went through the legs of Blues defenseman Philip Broberg.

“(Hofer) was really good tonight,” Montgomery said. “He gave us a chance in the second period when I thought that they tilted the ice on us.

“He made several really key saves. The goals, there's not a chance he has on those goals. He made several key saves to keep it 2-1, 3-1.”

Monahan scored on the power play at 5:07 of the third period to increase the lead to 3-1. He tapped in the rebound of a Werenski shot from the point that dropped in the crease after it hit the left post. The goal was Monahan's first of the season and 600th NHL point (264 goals, 336 assists).

“I feel like I needed one,” he said. “It's nice to put one in and I mean, that seals the game so that's the biggest thing.”

The Blue Jackets had failed to score in their previous 16 power plays at home before Monahan's goal. They also went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

“It's awesome,” Werenski said. “Early in the season, (special teams) was kind of losing us games and I feel like tonight it won us the game so it’s nice to be on that side.”

Bjugstad cut the deficit to 3-2 at 9:48 on the rush. Columbus captain Boone Jenner broke up a pass by Pavel Buchnevich but his clearance went to Bjugstad in the slot.

NOTES: Werenski has six points (three goals, three assists) in a three-game point streak. He also matched his longest goal streak that he set during the 2019-20 season. … Werenski registered the 83rd multipoint game of his career, passing Jenner (82) for second-most in franchise history. … Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko has a four-game point streak (four assists).