Tarasenko celebrates STL-LAK

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues continue to find different ways to win.
This time, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn came up with key performances.

The line combined for five points, led by Tarasenko and Schwartz each with a goal and an assist, and the Blues won their fourth straight game with a 4-2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings at Scottrade Center on Monday.
WATCH: [All Kings vs. Blues highlights]
After a 4-1 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday in which Schwartz, Schenn and Tarasenko were held without a point, it was their mission to come up clutch in a battle of the top two teams in the Western Conference.
"I thought we were better than last game," Schwartz said. "I thought we were moving a lot better, supporting each other better and just making strong plays with the puck. We weren't too happy with the last game. Our team played well. I know it was a big win against Columbus, but we knew we had better and we talked about it. We wanted to come out tonight and play a hard game against these guys."
The Blues are 6-0-1 in their past seven games and 5-0-0 at home this season.
Carl Gunnarsson and Vladimir Sobotka scored, and Jake Allen made 26 saves for St. Louis (10-2-1), which tied its record for wins in October.
"I think we've got a good thing going right now," Allen said. "We're relaxed, have confidence instilled in us right now. I think we're just finding ways to win games. It's fun to watch from my end. Guys are blocking shots; we're doing everything. It's the same stuff we comment on every game. We're just consistently doing it, and I think the more consistent you are the better chance you're going to win."

The Kings (9-2-1), who completed a six-game road trip 4-2-0, got goals from Tanner Pearson and Dustin Brown. Jonathan Quick made 26 saves.
"Their team game is very strong and their defense is big and they play fast," Kings coach John Stevens said of the Blues. "Kind of a sour note to go home on, but to be honest with you, I thought the guys played hard tonight. We'll learn from this game and continue to get better."
Tarasenko scored the first of five goals in the second period, giving the Blues a 1-0 lead on a shot from the left circle at 7:25. Schwartz scored on a rebound of Schenn's backhand at 10:17 for a 2-0 lead.
Pearson's breakaway goal at 13:20 made it 2-1 before Gunnarsson scored at 16:19. The Kings challenged for goalie interference, but the call on the ice was upheld and St. Louis led 3-1.
Brown made it 3-2 with a power-play goal at 17:17, deflecting Drew Doughty's shot in.
Sobotka's empty-net goal with 1:05 remaining in the third period made it 4-2.

Goal of the game

Tarasenko's goal at 7:25 of the second period.

Save of the game

Allen's save on Doughty at 3:38 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Alec Martinez's pinpoint pass to Pearson for his goal at 13:20 of the second period.

They said it

"When you're chasing a game, it doesn't usually work in your favor and teams are going to capitalize on stuff like that in this League." -- Kings left wing Tanner Pearson
"You could see the purpose in their game from the start. The forecheck pressure, that's a really tough team to create offense on. You're not going to get easy ice, you're going to really have to assert yourself, you're going to have to force them into mistakes and create opportunities with work ethic, with good sticks, with checking. I thought they did that tonight." -- Blues coach Mike Yeo on Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn
"Oh, yeah, I got it. We'll frame that one."-- Blues defenseman Carl Gunnarsson on getting the puck he scored with for his newly-born daughter Elise

Need to know

Brown's power-play goal was the first on the road trip for the Kings. They were 1-for-13 in six games. … Kings forward Anze Kopitar had an assist and now has 42 points (12 goals, 30 assists) in 40 games against St. Louis. ... Schwartz has a point in 11 of the Blues' 13 games and is third in the League with 17 behind Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Steven Stamkos (24) and Nikita Kucherov (21). … Blues right wing Dmitrij Jaskin played in his 200th NHL game. … Doughty played in his 700th NHL game.

What's next

Kings: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, TSN4, NHL.TV)
Blues:Host the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FS-MW, NBCSP, NHL.TV)