The St Louis Blues set the tone with four goals in the first period, en route to a 7-4 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday, Dec. 27 at Enterprise Center.

Robert Thomas needed just 80 seconds to put the Blues on the board, intercepting a Predators pass to shelve one over the shoulder of netminder Juuse Saros. Zack Bolduc, Jordan Kyrou, and Cam Fowler also scored in the opening frame, with Dylan Holloway recording an assist on two of those goals. The Predators attempted to respond, scoring twice in the first period including on a power play. An unassisted goal by Nick Blankenburg made the game 4-3 Blues in the second, but Phillip Broberg restored the lead with 4:30 remaining in the period with a wrist shot off a poorly cleared shot that prompted Nashville to change goalies.

The Predators’ Jonathan Marchessault closed the gap again with a power play goal halfway through the third, but Thomas responded in kind four minutes later, and Colton Parayko sealed the game for the Blues with a short-handed empty netter off the glass with 75 seconds remaining.

The Blues recorded just 29 shots on goal, with Saros recording ten saves for Nashville and Justus Annunen warding off 12 of 13 shot attempts. Joel Hofer recorded 26 saves for the Blues, who improve to 17-16-4 on the year and 38 points. That still has St Louis sixth in the Central Division but now six points behind Colorado for third in the division and three behind Vancouver for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.

The Blues will host Buffalo on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.