Cam Fowler scored two goals in his 1,000th career game as the visiting St. Louis Blues routed the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 on Tuesday in the NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Justin Faulk had a goal and two assists to boost the Blues, who improved to 3-0 in Winter Classic games.
Dylan Holloway and Alexandre Texier both had a goal and assist to help the Blues win for the third time in four games while sending the Blackhawks to their fifth straight defeat. Jordan Binnington stopped 28 shots for St. Louis.
Fowler opened the scoring with the first of three combined power-play goals in the first period, weaving through the slot to beat Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek with a wrist shot.
Jordan Kyrou made it 2-0 at 8:10 of the first, converting an easy backdoor tap-in after a crisp passing sequence. St. Louis entered the game on a 1-for-21 slide on the power play.
The Blackhawks took advantage of their first power-play opportunity later in the period. After St. Louis’s Nathan Walker whiffed on an attempt to clear the zone, Chicago’s Ryan Donato sent a blast that ricocheted off Binnington’s pads to a waiting Taylor Hall, who scored on a rebound from the right circle.
Faulk scored on a shot from the point at 7:15 of the second period as St. Louis went ahead 3-1.
Binnington denied Hall on a breakaway and stopped a Connor Bedard follow-up moments later to keep the Blues’ advantage at two goals.
They extended the lead to 4-1 at 13:34 of the second when Holloway scored after rebounding Faulk’s shot off the post. Fowler sent a long wrist shot through traffic to make it 5-1 just over four minutes later, becoming the second defenseman in league history to score twice in his 1,000th game.
Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno sparked the home crowd soon after, defeating Blues counterpart Brayden Schenn in a fight following the ensuing faceoff.
Tyler Bertuzzi scored on the power play for Chicago at 11:15 of the third. Texier capped the scoring 5:03 later.
Mrazek made 22 saves for the Blackhawks, who have lost each of their last three games by four goals. Chicago fell to 0-5 in the Winter Classic and 1-6 in outdoor games.
–Field Level Media
