The clash between first and fourth-place on the ladder was billed as the game of the round but it turned into a non-event after just one quarter.
The fierce tackling Saints dominated right from the opening bounce and Port Adelaide played into their hands with some costly skill errors.
Lenny Hayes became the first St Kilda player to receive the Peter Badcoe VC Medal for his influential 32 possessions, eight clearances and seven tackles.
Skipper Nick Riewoldt (four goals) carried on from his five-goal game against Fremantle last week with a career-best return against Port Adelaide.
For the Power, Kane Cornes was serviceable in restricting Nick Dal Santo to 13 touches to three-quarter time and skipper Dom Cassisi worked hard in his first game back from suspension.
Port Adelaide went into the opening term with the aid of the breeze, but it failed to help defender Michael Pettigrew’s ill-directed switch across the centre of the ground.
The kick missed its target and fell into the lap of Riewoldt, who pounced and slotted through the first goal of the game.
Things didn’t get much better for the Power as St Kilda piled on another five goals to record its best-ever first term at AAMI Stadium.
Sam Fisher was allowed to play loose across half back and he used his freedom to full effect, picking up 11 touches and four marks for the quarter.
Ruckman Brendon Lade provided Port Adelaide’s only scoreboard resistance with a goal courtesy of a free kick and 50m penalty.
Young full-back Alipate Carlile was moved off Riewoldt after the three-time All-Australian booted his second goal and Milne gave Jacob Surjan the slip to kick two of his own.
Goals to Jarryn Geary and Andrew McQualter extended the visitors’ lead to 27 points at quarter time.
Port Adelaide, unable to find space to generate its running game, was frustrated into undisciplined behaviour in the second term.
A mid-air collision between Troy Chaplin and Josh Carr, which resulted in another goal to Riewoldt, all but summed up the Power’s night.
Chaplin was reported for allegedly making contact with the St Kilda skipper’s jaw and ruckman Dean Brogan became the seventh Port Adelaide player reported in five games when he slid over the top of Farren Ray.
Meanwhile, St Kilda’s small forwards continued to thrive in the slippery conditions.
Majors to Robert Eddy and Adam Schneider stretched the visitors’ lead to eight goals and a boundary line miracle from Milne compounded the Power’s worst first half on record.
The Saints, through Hayes and Luke Ball, inflicted more pain on the hapless Port Adelaide with two goals in two minutes to start the third term.
But the Power managed to halt the visitors surge, albeit temporarily.
Daniel Motlop, who was off-target early in the game, broke his side’s 45-minute scoring drought but Riewoldt responded with a brilliant shot from a tight angle and pushed the margin back out to 65 points at the final break.
St Kilda refused to take its foot off in the final quarter and pushed its percentage over 200 with goals to Schneider and James Gwilt.
Chad Cornes found the middle of the sticks in an otherwise quiet night, but couldn’t prevent the Power from finishing with their second-lowest score on record.
Port Adelaide 1.3 1.3 3.4 5.6 (36)
St Kilda 6.0 10.5 13.9 15.12 (102)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Tredrea 2, Lade, Motlop, C Cornes
St Kilda: Riewoldt 4, Milne 3, Schneider 2, McQualter, Geary, Eddy, Hayes, Ball, Gwilt
BEST
Port Adelaide: Cassisi, K Cornes, Gray, Boak
St Kilda: Hayes, Fisher, Riewoldt, Geary, Gram, Jones
Injuries
Port Adelaide: Carlile (bruised hip/ribs), Logan (concussion)
St Kilda: Steven King (leg)
Reports: Troy Chaplin (PA) by umpire Donlon for striking Nick Riewoldt (StK) in the second quarter; Dean Brogan (PA) by umpire Avon for forceful contact on Farren Ray (St Kilda) in the second quarter.
Umpires: Donlon, Kennedy, Avon
Official crowd: 25,426 at AAMI Stadium
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
