ST. LOUIS, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- Brett Hull has not scored many empty-net goals in his productive career, but he used one against his former team to complete his 31st career hat trick Saturday night and give the Detroit Red Wings a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.
Hull had a hand in all five goals, helping the Red Wings snap a four-game road winless streak as well as the Blues' seven-game home winning streak.
After scoring twice in a 17-second span early in the first period, Hull tracked down an outlet pass from Brendan Shanahan, another former Blue, and scored his 21st goal into a vacant net before he was undercut by a backchecker.
Rookie Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and an assist and Boyd Devereaux also scored for Detroit, which extended its unbeaten streak against St. Louis to nine games (6
3).
Defenseman Chris Pronger set up both goals for the Blues, who had their team-record 10-game winning streak snapped on Friday night in Chicago. They have not beaten the Red Wings since Feb. 8, 2000.
