Blues 3, Coyotes 0
ST. LOUIS -- Alex Steen made up for lost time on Thursday night.
The St. Louis winger had a goal and two assists in his return to the lineup and rookie Jake Allen made 28 stops for his first career shutout as the St. Louis Blues rolled to a 3-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes before 17,852 at the Scottrade Center.
St. Louis, which has won four of its last five, beat Phoenix for the second time in seven days, including a 6-3 win in Phoenix on March 7. The Blues have won five of the last six against their Western Conference rivals.
The Coyotes, who were looking to win three in a row for the first time this season, have lost three of the last five.
Red-hot Chris Stewart scored twice for the Blues, who won back-to-back games at home in regulation for the first time since Jan. 24-26.
Steen missed the previous eight games with an upper-body injury he suffered on Feb. 23.
He scored his fifth goal of the season on a drive from the high slot at 4:05 of the third period to give St. Louis a 2-0 lead.
Stewart got the ball rolling with his 12th goal of the season early in the second period for a 1-0 lead. Stewart, who lit up the Coyotes with a goal and three assists in the win at Phoenix a week ago, now has six goals and five assists in his last six games.
Allen improved to 7-1 with his second successive strong effort. He had 39 saves in a 4-2 win over San Jose on Tuesday night and has won his last four starts. The 22-year-old, who has started four of the last five games, has temporarily wrestled the top spot from goalie Jaroslav Halak.
Stewart pounded home the rebound of a shot by David Backes at 5:54 of the second period for a 1-0 lead. Backes' shot hit the boards and bounced in front from behind the net. Stewart quickly flipped it into the open net.
Stewart added an insurance goal at 14:31 of the third period on a nifty pass from Steen.
Phoenix goalie Mike Smith made 27 saves but fell to 11-8-2.
Allen stopped Antoine Vermette from close range in the first period. He also thwarted Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the second period.
NOTES: The Coyotes began a season-long four-game road swing Thursday. They will play seven of their next nine on the road. ... Steen returned to the lineup after an eight-game absence because of an upper-body injury. ... Phoenix defenseman David Schlemko also returned after missing 16 games with a shoulder injury suffered Feb. 4. He picked up a boarding penalty just 2:20 into the game. ... St. Louis right winger T.J. Oshie did not play. He is listed as day to day with a rib injury. ... The Blues scored a season-high six even-strength goals in a 6-3 win at Phoenix on March 7. ... Shane Doan has 327 career goals, second most in Coyotes history behind Dale Hawerchuk (379). ... St. Louis outshot Phoenix 13-1 in the game's first 11:01.
