Blues 6, Sabres 1: Jori Lehtera recorded his first career hat trick while Jaden Schwartz and Alex Steen each notched three assists as host St. Louis skated to its eighth win in nine games.

Joakim Lindstrom scored a pair of power-play goals 58 seconds apart late in the third period and captain David Backes also tallied with the man advantage for the Blues. Vladimir Tarasenko set up Lehtera's first two goals to extend his point streak to a career-high six games, defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk also notched two assists and Brian Elliott finished with 28 saves to improve to 11-0-2 lifetime versus Buffalo.

Tyler Ennis scored a power-play goal 59 seconds into the third period for the Sabres, who went 1-for-3 with the man advantage to improve to 3-for-53 on the season. Michal Neuvirth turned aside 23 shots as Buffalo fell to 0-3-1 in its last four games.

Tarasenko breezed up the left wing before he alertly fed Lehtera, who unleashed a shot past a screened Neuvirth with 2:52 remaining in the first period to open the scoring. Lehtera converted another drop pass from Tarasenko at 3:21 of the second before capping his natural hat trick in scintillating fashion.

While short-handed, the 5-10 Schwartz breezed up the right wing and deftly dismissed a potential check from 6-8 Buffalo defenseman Tyler Myers before setting up Lehtera, who beat Neuvirth from the slot with 5:34 left in the session. Buffalo answered early in the third as Drew Stafford's shot from the point handcuffed Elliott, and Matt Moulson alertly slid the puck across the goal mouth to Ennis for the easy conversion.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Stationed in front, Backes redirected Shattenkirk's blast from the point past Neuvirth at 16:38 of the third before Lindstrom capped the scoring in short order. ... Tarasenko has collected five goals and as many assists during his point streak while Lehtera has recorded four goals and set up four others during his five-game point run. ... Lehtera's hat trick was the third by a St. Louis player this season, joining Tarasenko and Schwartz. ... Buffalo D Josh Gorges suffered a lower-body injury in the second period and did not return.