Blues defeat Leafs with three goals from Backes

TORONTO -- David Backes completed a hat trick with an empty-net goal to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 5-3 victory Tuesday night that sent the Toronto Maple Leafs to their sixth straight loss.

T.J. Oshie and former Leafs forward Alex Steen also scored for St. Louis, which passed Boston for the most points in the NHL with 105.

Ryan Miller made 21 saves to improve to 32-15-3 in his career against Toronto. The Blues have won 10 of 13 games since acquiring Miller and forward Steve Ott from Buffalo before the trade deadline.

Joffrey Lupul, Carl Gunnarsson and James van Riemsdyk scored for Toronto, which dropped out of a playoff spot for the first time since Jan. 14.

The loss ruined the return of Toronto goalie Jonathan Bernier, who made 44 saves in his first game since reinjuring his groin on March 13

Bernier helped withstand an early barrage before the Maple Leafs scored first in a game for the first time in seven games.

With Brenden Morrow in the box for high-sticking, the Leafs cashed in. After getting robbed by Miller at the side of the net, Nazem Kadri batted the puck out of the air to Lupul, who scored at 11:30 of the first period.

The Leafs' lead didn't last long, as Oshie tipped a shot from Roman Polak and then dove to knock the puck in at 15:55.

St. Louis took the lead with 32.3 seconds left in the first period on a power play when Oshie poked the puck away from Dion Phaneuf and fed Backes, who beat Bernier.

The Blues' 23 first-period shots were the most the Leafs have given up this season.

Backes scored his second of the night at 7:32 after a brilliant pass from Alex Pietrangelo.

At 17:35, St. Louis added the dagger when Steen beat Phaneuf in a net-front battle and then flipped a back-hand shot past Bernier for his 31st goal.

Down 4-1, Pietrangelo turned the puck over to Gunnarsson, who blasted a shot by Miller to cut the deficit to two.

Van Riemsdyk added a goal at 15:54 to make it 4-3, Backes' empty-netter sealed it for St. Louis.