Kadri scores 2 to lead Maple Leafs to 4-1 win over Blues

ST. LOUIS -- Nazem Kadri scored twice and Roman Polak had two assists to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs past his former team, the St. Louis Blues, 4-1 on Saturday night.

Brad Boyes and P.A. Parenteau also scored for Toronto, which had lost two straight and five of six. Garret Sparks stopped 27 shots for his second career victory.

Vladimir Tarasenko scored his 15th goal of the season for St. Louis, while Jake Allen made 25 saves.

The Blues fell to 4-5-3 over their past 12 games after starting the season 11-3-1.

Tarasenko gave the Blues a 1-0 lead just 1:51 into the first period on his 15th of the season after a 2-on-1 breakaway with Paul Stastny.

Kadri tied the score with 1:17 left in the first period, putting home a rebound of a shot from Leo Komarov for his fourth of the season.

Polak, who also assisted on Kadri's goal, was originally credited with the next goal, on a top-shelf slap shot at 6:11 of the second period. But it was later changed to Boyes' second of the season on a tip-in and that goal, which was his first against the Blues, gave him a goal against every team in the NHL in his career.

Polak's two assists gave him eight career two-point games, with the last coming on Nov. 20, 2014, against the Lightning. His teams are 7-1 in those games.

Parenteau put the Maple Leafs after 3-1 at 8:57 when he back-handed a shot past Allen on a delayed penalty.

Toronto outshot St. Louis 9-2 in the second period.

Kadri netted his second goal at 6:47 of the third, assisted by Morgan Rielly and Matt Hunwick, on a 2-on-1 during 4-on-4 play.

Noteworthy

• Toronto C Nick Spaling played in his 400th career NHL game.
• St. Louis scratched F Dmitrij Jaskin, F Ryan Reaves and D Robert Bortuzzo after all three played in Friday's game at the New York Islanders.
• Steen assisted on Tarasenko's goal, giving him 13 points in eight games against his former team.
• Blues F Steve Ott suffered a lower-body injury late in the first period and did not return.