The St Louis Blues scored all four of their goals Saturday, Jan. 4 at Columbus in the third period. However, the Blue Jackets also had four goals in the third, including a short-handed snap shot and empty-netter that proved the difference in the Notes’ 6-4 loss.

The Blues allowed a goal in the third period to Dmitri Voronkov late in the first period, then fell behind 2-0 early in the second when Kirill Marchenko sent his shot from the right faceoff circle into goal. Mikael Pyyhtia’s short-handed goal made it 3-0 Jackets in the early third before Jordan Kyrou could get the Blues on toe board on the same power play. The two sides exchanged goals over the next two minutes before Voronkov backhanded in the game-winner. Colton Parayko and Brayden Schenn closed the gap for the Blues later in the period, but Mathieu Olivier sealed the win for Columbus with an empty-netter with just over a minute remaining.

17 of the Blues’ 33 shots came in the third period, while Columbus made 18 of their 39 shots in the first.

The loss has the Blues reaching the halfway point of the season fifth in the Central Division with 42 points, seven points behind Colorado for third. St Louis still trail Vancouver by two points for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, with the Canucks having three games in hand. The Blues remain on the road for their next game Tuesday at Minnesota; puck drop is at 7 p.m.