Blues captain David Backes celebrates one of his three goals in the win over Toronto. (photo/NHL.com)
David Backes scored a hat trick in the St. Louis Blues’ 5-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday. The loss extended the Maple Leafs’ losing streak to six games on the season, as the Blues have gone 5-0-2 against Toronto over their last seven meetings. The last time the Blues lost to Toronto was in February, 2007.
The win also keeps the Blues ahead of Chicago in the Central Division by six points. The Blackhawks beat Dallas.
The first Backes goal gave the Blues a 2-1 lead with 32.3 seconds left in the first period. Backes took advantage of a turnover by Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf and raced ahead beating goalie Jonathan Bernier between the legs on the power play. Backes made it 3-1 at 7:32 of the third period beating Bernier with a wrist shot on a breakaway. Backes capped the night off with an empty-net goal after Toronto crept back into the game, to complete the hat trick, the second of his career.
Ryan Miller made 21 saves for St. Louis (49-16-7), which leads the NHL standings with 105 points.
