Kastelic, Minten each scores twice, Bruins defeat Blues

ST. LOUIS – Fraser Minten and Mark Kastelic each scored twice for the Boston Bruins in a 5-2 win against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on Tuesday.

Sean Kuraly had two assists, and David Pastrnak had three assists for the Bruins (18-13-0), who have won three straight, including a 5-2 win against the Blues last Thursday in Boston. Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves.

“For me, it’s all about character,” Boston coach Marco Sturm said. “That’s what we have in this room. Some guys had to go down a line (with Pastrnak back) and didn’t complain at all. They got the job done today. That’s what good teams do. They don’t complain, they just work.”

Pastrnak missed the past five games with an undisclosed injury.

“It’s good to have the game one back after the injury,” Pastrnak said. “I felt alright. I felt good. I felt confident. Saw the ice well today. Good to be back in.”

Robert Thomas had two goals, and Pavel Buchnevich has two assists for the Blues (11-13-7), who were looking for their first three-game winning streak of the season. Joel Hofer made 26 saves.

“I thought we were a little too loose after the first 10 minutes,” St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery said. “I liked our first 10 minutes of the game, and I didn’t mind our first whatever it was when we tied it up (in the third period). I don’t know if it was eight minutes into the third. That wasn’t too bad, but besides that, we were very loose not stopping in the house. Defensively, not sprinting to loose pucks enough.”

Thomas gave the Blues a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 5:27 of the first period on a one-timer from just above the right face-off circle off a pass from Buchnevich.

Minten tied it 1-1 at 12:48 of the second period when he was able to knock in a loose puck at the right side of the net that Marat Khusnutdinov slid to him while Hofer was trying to cover the puck.

Kastelic tipped Victor Soderstrom’s left point shot after Kuraly got a piece of it to make it 2-1 at 14:34.

The Bruins outshot the Blues 13-3 in the second.

“I don’t feel like it was our best first,” Minten said. “We brought more urgency to start the second. We started to pour it in there in the second. Three games in four nights for them, that’s how you’re going to score is to get some greasy ones. That was our plan to go to the paint.”

Thomas tied it 2-2 at 4:51 of the third period when Buchnevich picked off Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke behind the goal and fed a pass to Thomas, who finished from in tight.

It was the momentum boost the Blues were looking for that never materialized.

“Just a little bit too loose,” Thomas said. “We allowed them too much time and space in the D-zone, and they made us pay.”

Kastelic restored Boston's lead to 3-2 with his second goal at 8:01. Nikita Zadorov sent a shot from the left boards that hit off Kuraly and dropped into the crease, where Kastelic tapped it past Hofer.

“I’m just naturally a bigger guy, so I try and take pride in getting (to the front of the net) and just trying to get in front of the goalie and get dirty ones like the one you saw tonight,” Kastelic said. “I’m just trying to always improve in that area. Our whole line has the ability to get to the net. It’s fun to play that way.”

Minten made it 4-2 at 11:33. A shot from Peeke went off the right post and caromed to the left boards. The puck then deflected off the stick of Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist to the high slot directly to Minten, who beat Hofer with a slap shot.

It was Minten's first multigoal NHL game.

“Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t,” Minten said. “I’m feeling more comfortable out there and reading the game. Maybe getting to some spots a little better and just being confident.”

Pavel Zacha scored an empty-net goal at 18:19 for the 5-2 final.

NOTES: Pastrnak had three shots on goal and was plus-2 in 15:36 of ice time. … Zacha has five points (three goals, two assists) in a four-game point streak. … Buchnevich has five points (two goals, three assists) in a four-game point streak. … St. Louis forward Nick Bjugstad left at 5:24 of the second period after sustaining an upper-body injury on a hit from Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov along the boards in the offensive zone. Montgomery did not have an update as to his status postgame.