While there were additional paths to the playoffs depending on results in other games, the Blues were assured a playoff berth with a regulation win.
Jordan Kyrou scored twice, Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and two assists and Jimmy Snuggerud, Brayden Schenn and Zack Bolduc each had a goal and an assist. It was the first NHL goal for Snuggerud.
Robert Thomas had two assists to extend his point streak to 12 games for the Blues (44-30-8), who finished the regular season with 12 straight home wins. Jordan Binnington made 22 saves.
St. Louis was eight points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild card coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break and was fueled by a franchise-record 12-game winning streak from March 15-April 5.
The Blues will face the Winnipeg Jets in the first round. Winnipeg (55-22-4) finished first in the Central Division and won the Presidents’ Trophy with the League’s best record.
Clayton Keller scored for Utah (38-31-13), which was 4-0-1 in its previous five games. Karel Vejmelka, who started 24 of Utah’s final 25 games, made 23 saves.
Schenn gave the Blues a 1-0 lead at 8:08 of the first when Vejmelka stopped Snuggerud’s breakaway attempt but Schenn followed up on the rebound.
Buchnevich made it 2-0 at 11:17, finishing off a Thomas pass from the bottom of the right circle.
Snuggerud’s power-play goal at 14:45 made it 3-0 on a play at the top of the crease. Officials reviewed the goal to see if there was a distinct kicking motion, but the call on the ice stood as a good goal.
Bolduc’s power-play goal at 19:13 made it 4-0 on a quick one-timer just inside the top of the left circle after a Thomas pass from the left corner.
Keller’s power-play goal at 5:40 of the second cut Utah’s deficit to 4-1 on a one-timer from the top of the right circle six seconds after Nathan Walker was called for cross checking.
Kyrou made it 5-1 at 6:59 of the third period with the Blues’ third power-play goal on a one-timer from the slot. He scored again at 17:24 for a 6-1 final.
Thomas left midway through the third period with a lower-body injury.
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