Blues handle Ducks, win 3-1

ST. LOUIS -- If the St. Louis Blues find their way into the playoffs, goalie Chris Mason says they should be plenty tested.

"We've been doing this for two months trying to get back in it so it has that intensity," said Mason, who helped the Blues continue their playoff push Thursday by making 24 saves in a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. "It is playoffs for us, otherwise we don't get in. It's good preparation for when we do get there."

The Blues are getting closer, entering the game three points out of a playoff spot. The Blues are 2-0 on their four-game homestand and three games over .500 (31-28-8) for the first time since Oct. 18 when they were 4-1.

"We just got to keep going," Mason said. "Playing games that mean something every night is just unbelievable."

Andy McDonald had a goal and an assist, Brad Boyes scored his team-leading 28th goal, and Barret Jackman added an empty-netter for St. Louis.

Patrick Marleau scored his 35th goal for San Jose, which has slipped to second in the Western Conference during a 1-4-1 skid.

"They were pretty hungry out there," Marleau said of the Blues. "I think they were trying to get their forecheck going early and they were getting the puck in. I thought we did a good job of not letting the pressure get to us, but we made a couple of mistakes and they capitalized on them."

Brian Boucher, playing in place of No. 1 goalie Evgeni Nabokov, made 23 saves for the Sharks. Nabokov missed his fifth straight game due to a lower body injury.

With the teams skating 4-on-4, Boyes gave the Blues the lead for good. McDonald led a rush into the San Jose zone and fed the puck to Boyes, who snapped a wrist shot past Boucher at 13:22 of the second period to make it 2-1.