Blues use power play to get past Wild

Hockey Betting Lines

03/15/2009 - St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brad Boyes had a goal and an assist, and the St. Louis Blues dealt another blow to Minnesota's playoff hopes by topping the Wild, 5-3.

Keith Tkachuk, Brad Winchester, David Backes and David Perron scored for the Blues, who have won seven of 10 overall. Chris Mason made 19 saves to earn the victory.

Andrew Brunette, Stephane Veilleux and Marc-Andre Bergeron tallied a goal apiece for the Wild, who have lost four straight and five of six to remain a point out of playoff contention, behind Edmonton and Nashville. Niklas Backstrom allowed four goals on 29 shots in the first two periods to receive the loss, and Josh Harding made six saves in a perfect third.

The Blues scored the game's first goal at the 14:44 mark of the first. Backes emerged from a scrum in front of the net with the puck and fluttered it toward the net. Backstrom fanned on an attempted glove save, as he watched the puck go behind him.

In a 1:17 span early in the second period, Cal Clutterbuck was given a double minor for high sticking, and Marek Zidlicky was whistled for a delay-of-game and St. Louis capitalized with a pair of 5-on-3 scores. Tkachuk made it 2-0 after stuffing home a rebound at the 6:37 mark, and a wrister by Perron from the left circle gave the Blues a 3-0 edge 1:31 later.

Minnesota got one of the goals back late in the middle frame. With 5:02 left to play, Brunette found a loose puck out in front of the net and hammered it home before Mason was able to locate it.

Winchester tallied for St. Louis with 30 seconds left to restore the team's three-goal lead, 4-1, at the end of two periods.

The Wild mounted a late comeback, with Veilleux scoring at 7:50 of the third and Bergeron tallying on a wrister with 5:36 left to play.

Backstrom was pulled in the final minute, but Boyes sealed it with an empty- net goal for St. Louis.

Game Notes

St. Louis won the season series, 3-1-0, taking a season slate from Minnesota for the first time since the 2002-03 season...The Blues went 3-for-7 on the power play, while Minnesota failed on two chances...The Wild fell to 14-18-2 on the road, while St. Louis improved to 19-13-5 at home.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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