St. Louis goalie Chris Mason celebrates with teammate Jay McClement (left) after beating Columbus 3-1 Friday to clinch a playoff spot.
ST. LOUIS – Keith Tkachuk is one of only two players left on the St. Louis Blues’ roster from the last playoff run.
A big game from the 37-year-old veteran helped them make it to the postseason again after a three-season drought.
Tkachuk scored twice for the first time since opening night and added an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets Friday night.
“It’s just a special moment,” Tkachuk said. “This is an incredible feeling to see after what we went through over the last couple of years.”
Andy McDonald and Tkachuk scored power-play goals on two of the Blues’ first three shots for a fast start against Columbus, no doubt flat two days after making it into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
“We just came off an emotional win,” Columbus’ Rick Nash said. “They had everything to play for, and they just outplayed us. It was a do-or-die game for them.”
Columbus is in sixth place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Blues, 92-90, and wraps up its regular season Saturday at home against Minnesota. If the Blues and Blue Jackets finish in a tie, St. Louis would get the better seed after winning the season series 5-1.
Wild 8, Predators 4: At St. Paul, Minn., Marc-Andre Bergeron scored twice and Minnesota set a season high for goals to top Nashville.
Oilers 5, Flames 1: At Edmonton, Alberta, Shawn Horcoff and Sheldon Souray each had a goal and two assists as Edmonton beat Calgary.
Ducks 4, Stars 3, OT: At Anaheim, Calif., Jonas Hiller made 42 saves, Teemu Selanne scored the deciding goal in a shootout and the Anaheim Ducks wrapped up a playoff spot.