Music: {allcanada} Stewart's hat trick powers Blues past Oilers

Saturday, December 21, 2013

{allcanada} Stewart's hat trick powers Blues past Oilers

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EDMONTON -- Chris Stewart had his third career hat trick to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 6-0 victory against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place on Saturday night.

Stewart scored the opening goal in the first period, assisted on Brenden Morrow's goal in the second and added two goals in the third. Jaden Schwartz and Patrik Berglund also scored in the final period the Blues, and Brian Elliott made 23 saves for his second shutout of the season and the 23rd of his career.

Ilya Bryzgalov made 27 saves for the Oilers, who have lost a season-high six in a row. Edmonton was shut out for the third time in its last five games and the sixth time this season.

Stewart opened the scoring at 11:57 of the first period, shortly after a Blues penalty to David Backes had expired. The play began in the Blues zone when Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference took a bad-angled shot that rimmed around the boards toward Backes as he was coming out of the penalty box.

The Blues captain, making his return to the lineup after missing two games with a concussion, was unable to catch up to the puck but forced Bryzgalov to come out of his crease to play it. Bryzgalov played the puck off the glass to Schwartz, who found Stewart unattended in front as the Oilers were making a change.

Morrow made it 2-0 at 5:50 of the second period, finishing off a three-way passing play inside the Oilers zone. Derek Roy found Stewart with a cross-ice feed, and Stewart found Morrow in front.

The Blues blew the game open in the third period

Stewart scored at 1:46, finishing off a Berglund centering feed and beating Bryzgalov from in tight.

Schwartz made it 4-0 at 2:38 beating Bryzgalov with a long wrist shot that fooled the Oilers goaltender. Stewart completed his hat trick at 7:27 during a 4-on-3 power play, tapping in a cross-crease feed from Roy. Berglund completed the scoring at 12:42 with a shorthanded goal, the League-high ninth allowed by the Oilers this season.

The Oilers host the Winnipeg Jets on Monday, the same night the Blues visit the Calgary Flames.

Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan