Tyson Jost and Fedor Svechkov scored, Nicolas Hague had two assists, and Juuse Saros made 17 saves for the Predators (16-17-4), who had won three straight and 10 of their past 14 games.
“I think it’s probably the biggest worry coming in, some guys still on Christmas break,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “I don’t think everybody was in full tilt here a little bit tonight. I thought we eased into the game. I thought we got going in different stretches. We made some mental mistakes off the rush that killed us.”
Brayden Schenn scored his 700th NHL point with a power-play goal at 8:45 of the first period to put St. Louis ahead 1-0 by tipping in Cam Fowler’s wrist shot from the point. He has 285 goals, 415 assists in 1,061 games.
“It means you’ve got to keep going,” Schenn said on reaching the milestone. “That’s kind of the mentality you have. You’re never satisfied, but obviously an accomplishment you don’t get without an opportunity from coaches and being on good teams (with) good teammates, good linemates. That’s the reality of it. Just fortunate, lucky and grateful for playing in this League as long as I have.”
Jost tied it 1-1 at 11:41 when Hague kept in a puck at the blue line and put a wrister toward the net that Jost tipped up and over Hofer’s left shoulder.
Buchnevich made it 2-1 at 18:14 when his pass on a 2-on-1 with Jake Neighbours deflected back to him off Nashville defenseman Roman Josi, allowing Buchnevich to backhand the puck into the top half of the net.
The Predators thought they had the tying goal at 17:07 of the second period when Filip Forsberg put the puck in the net, but the Blues won an offside challenge that deemed Steven Stamkos was in before the puck entered the zone legally at 17:03 and the goal was overturned.
“Yeah, we thought it was (an easy challenge),” St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery said. “We were surprised, but maybe they didn’t understand. Maybe it took a while for them to catch on that the guy had come back out, so it wasn’t a delay anymore.”
Buchnevich's second goal of the game made it 3-1 at 4:40 of the third period. Thomas got the outlet pass from Philip Broberg, who left a drop pass for Buchnevich just in front of the blue line. Buchnevich's first shot rebounded off Saros in front before he deposited it behind the goalie.
The goal marks Buchnevich's first multigoal game of the season for St. Louis.
“It was a muffin shot before and I got, kind of, a rebound myself,” Buchnevich said. “Can’t score on the first shot, so I just take (the) rebound.”
