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With metronomic excellence and regular precision, the Blues have delivered scheduled performances across the past month that have led them back from a postseason prayer and into a bona fide playoff chase. Tuesday night’s 4-1 victory over the Predators helps illustrate how winning has changed the attitude within the Blues locker room.

A month ago, a three-game win streak was cause for celebration. Now, the Blues have almost turned Tuesday into a footnote with Thursday’s gargantuan matchup with the Canucks looming.

“We’ve got to forget this game right now,” Blues forward Dylan Holloway said, “and start focusing on that one because it’s huge.”

Jordan Kyrou scored twice for the Blues, as Justin Faulk (power play) and Jake Neighbours each added a goal. Joel Hofer picked up points in his third straight start by making 22 saves, but his saves on Jonathan Marchessault (first period) and Filip Forsberg (second period) kept the Blues in control.

The Blues have won at least three games in a row for the second time this season and have a positive goal margin for the first time since Oct. 24, after the eighth game of the season.

“It was a real gutsy effort,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “It didn’t feel like our players had their regular juice. You just could tell by how short the shifts were, but they dug in and made hard plays in hard areas. Our penalty kill was excellent. Our goaltender was excellent. Our D corps was fantastic. They just kept killing plays and making poised plays to get us out of our end repeatedly.”

In going 9-2-2 since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Blues have leaned on their overall team game to lead them through different kinds of games.

Sometimes, they’ve pushed through circumstances to grit their way to two points. Other times, they’ve shut down an opposing offense — Tuesday was the 14th straight game allowing fewer than 30 shots on goal. It’s been the power play some nights; others, the penalty kill. Both goaltenders have rebounded from subpar games. Every line has scored at least one goal in the past two games. Both power-play units have found the back of the net in the past two games.

“We come to the rink with confidence, and we know that no matter how we’re feeling or what the situation is that our foundation, our identity is going to be there and we’re going to be in games,” Neighbours said. “I didn’t think we were on our A-game tonight be any means. But we’re finding ways right now, and it feels good.”

Months ago, when the Blues were not on their A-game, it often resulted in a loss. Before the break, the Blues lost their last five games when allowing more shot attempts at five on five than they generated. With Thursday night’s game, the Blues are now 5-0-1 since the break in such games.

Even when the Blues have lost in the past month, they might have deserved more. They outplayed Dallas at even strength but allowed four power-play goals. In Pittsburgh, they doubled up the Penguins in expected goals but still lost in regulation.

“Our team is playing really well right now,” Holloway said. “It’s everybody: all four lines, our D-men are breaking pucks out nicely and obviously we’re getting some stellar goaltending, too. It’s been awesome playing this way, and it’s a lot of fun, too.”

On Tuesday night, Faulk blasted a one-timer on the power play for his third goal of the season, Neighbours finished on the rush, and Kyrou submitted his third multi-point night in as many tries. The penalty kill went 2 for 2 and has now killed the past 11 power plays it’s been tasked with.

There weren’t many glaring holes in the Blues’ game on Tuesday, and Hofer spackled over them when necessary.

Hofer’s save on Marchessault on the edge of the crease preceded Neighbours’ goal that gave the Blues a 2-0 lead. And his stop on Forberg’s breakaway maintained that two-goal cushion. Since he was pulled in Dallas on March 2, Hofer has a .939 save percentage and 1.26 goals against average in four appearances.

“It just shows you the confidence and swagger that he has but also that the team has,” Montgomery said. “Just the self-belief he has in himself. We’re lucky we have two goalies that really believe in themselves and they give our team confidence every time they’re in the crease.”

Hofer: “I’m just trying my best out here. Doing that and having fun. It’s a lot of fun to come to the rink with the guys, battle it out. We’re going to keep going here.”

The Blues overcame the temporary absence of Pavel Buchnevich in the second period as he missed the last 13-plus minutes of the period after absorbing a hit by Predators forward Michael McCarron. Buchnevich passed concussion protocol, Montgomery said, and was back on the ice for the third period.

“In the third period, it was good to have him because him and (Brayden) Schenn and Neighbours missed a little bit of time, but they were really fresh because of that,” Montgomery said. “We need fresh legs in the third.”

All four teams in the wild card chase in the West were in action on Tuesday night, with ӣ����Ƶ, Calgary and Vancouver all winning, while Utah lost. Entering Wednesday, the Blues (75 points in 69 games) remain tied with the Canucks (75 points in 68 games), though Vancouver owns the tiebreaker because it has played one fewer game.

Calgary (73 points in 67 games) and Utah (71 points in 68 games) trail.

“Our game is trending upwards right now, and we’re playing really well and we know what’s at stake, too,” Holloway said. “Everybody’s playing for each other. It’s fun hockey right now.”