Rosen, Blues top Sharks to end eight-game losing streak

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues ended an eight-game losing streak with a 5-3 win against the San Jose Sharks at Enterprise Center on Thursday.

Their eight straight losses in regulation were a record for the Blues, who hadn't won since Oct. 22.
"It was obviously a good [feeling] for sure," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "You lose as much as we have lately, and it's really not a good feeling, but we got a win. It was a battle, but we got a win and I thought we did a lot of good things tonight."

Calle Rosen had his first goal and assist of the season, Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich each had two assists, and Jordan Binnington made 27 saves for St. Louis (4-8-0).
"It's a big one, for sure," Rosen said. "Always good to win games. So happy we got the win today, and we're just going to keep building from today."
Erik Karlsson and Kevin Labanc each had two assists, and Kaapo Kahkonen made 28 saves for the Sharks (3-9-3), who have lost five straight (0-2-3).
"You just can't play 12 minutes of the hockey we played in the second period and expect to win a hockey game," San Jose coach David Quinn said. "I thought we got off to a little bit of a slow start, thought we got better as the first period went on.
"Really loved our first six, seven minutes of the second, took the penalty, they get the goal and we could just never get out of our end. We stood around, didn't defend anybody, didn't support the puck. You could feel that momentum swinging."

Krug gave the Blues a 1-0 lead at 2:30 of the first, converting a sharp-angle shot from low in the right circle.
Timo Meier tied it 1-1 at 16:19 when he was credited with the goal after St. Louis defenseman Justin Faulk gloved the puck into his own net while trying to bat it away. It was Meier's fourth straight game with a goal.
Kyrou made it 2-1 at 6:59 of the second, scoring on a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Buchnevich on the power play.
Tomas Hertl tied it 2-2 at 13:05 when he converted a rebound in front off Kevin Labanc's shot.
Brandon Saad's first goal, and point, of the season gave the Blues a 3-2 lead at 18:08, scoring off a pass from Josh Leivo from behind the net. Leivo's assist was his first point with St. Louis.
"It always feels good to score goals and contribute to wins," said Saad, who was playing in his sixth game. "It's been a while, and after having an injury, too, coming back you always want to help produce and win hockey games. It felt good."

Logan Couture tied it again 3-3 at 1:26 of the third, tipping Erik Karlsson's shot past Binnington.
"Loved the beginning of our third," Quinn said. "We come out, we get a goal, we hem them in, we had chances. The fourth goal [for St. Louis] is just one we can't give up."
Rosen gave the Flyers a 4-3 lead at 8:20 on a one-timer from above the left circle off a pass from Thomas.
"We played really well for spurts, but then just big-time mistakes ended up in our net," Couture said. "It's happening every single night. We've got to find a way to avoid making the big mistakes. Obviously, mistakes are going to happen throughout a game, but the big ones are killing us right now."
Noel Acciari scored an empty-net goal with 19 seconds remaining for the 5-3 final.
NOTES: Karlsson has 15 points during a six-game point streak (seven goals, eight assists). His 21 points in the first 15 games are tied for the most in San Jose history (Patrick Marleau in 2009-10). ... Meier has 10 points in a six-game point streak (six goals, four assists). ... Hertl has eight points in his past five games (two goals, six assists). ... St. Louis has won six straight against San Jose and is 7-0-1 in its past eight games against the Sharks. ... Blues forward Nikita Alexandrov played 9:31 and had two shots and two hits in his NHL debut.