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After the team's last defeat, a 2-0 home defeat at the Kings, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong sacked head coach Mike Yeo and named Craig Berube interim coach . At 7-9-3, the Blues are in last place in the Central Division and their 17 points are the penultimate in the NHL, ahead of only Los Angeles.
Yeo, 45, joined the Blues as an assistant in 2016 after five seasons with Minnesota. In two or more seasons as head coach of the Blues, Yeo recorded a record of 73-49-11.
Berube, 52, was the Flyers head coach for two seasons with a 75-58-28 record and a playoff appearance, losing seven first-round games against the Rangers in 2014 .
The Kings, the last in the Pacific Division, had lost four of five players before beating Saint-Louis in a match featuring teams posting the worst records of the Western Conference.
The Blues have lost four of their last five. It was the third time that they were excluded this season.
"It's hard to win if you do not score goals," said Blues striker Vladimir Tarasenko. "I do not have words – we may be trying too hard – if we do not score, it's zero at every game and it's really frustrating."
Kings rookie Calvin Peterson and Matt Luff made their NHL debut in the same game. Peterson got his first shutout and Luff scored his first goal, leading the Kings to a 2-0 win.
"It's unreal," says Luff. "We were talking about that when I gave him a hug on the ice, I could not have chosen a better day for it to happen, he had his first shutout, we talked about it in He's probably one of the best kids, so I'm glad it happened to him. "
Peterson, making his third start for the Kings, stopped 29 shots. He is the 24th rookie goalie to start a game for Los Angeles. At the University, at Notre Dame and in the minor leagues, Peterson had 20 shutouts. "On a personal level, having the laundry was very cool," Peterson said. "And for Luffer, getting his first goal was very cool too, so it was a great night."
Not for the blues.
Los Angeles was 1-0 at 8:18 of the second period. Luff, a 21-year-old right winger, scored his first goal in his sixth career shot after hitting a wrestler in the right circle. Adrian Kempe nurtured Luff's open purpose.
"It was not a perfect shot, but fortunately it was successful," Luff said. "I've been thinking a little bit about previous games tonight, it was in my head, but do not think about it." I sort of blocked the match and pulled my blow and he came in. "
Anze Kopitar added an empty net with 30 seconds remaining.
It was the first meeting this season between the teams. St. Louis won two of three games last season and is 6-3-0 in the last nine games. Blues goaltender Jake Allen has faced 26 shots, falling 5-3 in his career against the Kings. Allen was shot with 1:45 to play but the Blues were unable to score.
"We can not win hockey games without scoring goals," said Blues defender Alex Pietrangelo. It must be a more difficult place to play. "
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