Radek Faksa returns to the lineup after missing five games with an injury. Oskar Sundqvist is back in the lineup after sitting out as a healthy scratch in Tampa Bay. Philip Broberg returns to the lineup after missing Thursday’s game against the Lightning due to illness. Brandon Saad, Mathieu Joseph, and Tyler Tucker will sit against the Panthers. Joel Hofer starts in goal…can he make it 5 wins in a row?? Sergei Bobrovsky is in the net for the Panthers.
Here we go…
In the first 5 minutes the Blues have two odd-man breaks…a 3 on1 and a 2 on1 but can’t score…
Blues jump ahead with 9:59 left in the period with a solid forecheck by Alexandre Texier who flips the puck to the front of the net and Oskar Sundqvist buries a backhander into the net, his 3rd of the season…1 to 0 on their 5th shot. Zack Bolduc with the secondary assist. Sunny’s first goal in 15 games.
Justin Faulk to the penalty box shortly after the goal…Panthers to the powerplay at 9:47. They rank 6th in the league…need to clear the blue paint against an aggressive PP. Broberg takes a puck up high off the visor…fortunately, he is okay. Two shots are allowed and the Blues kill it off.
Hofer was sharp throughout the period stopping all 10 shots he faced and the Blues only mustered 2 shots after their goal for 7 total for the period. Hits were even at 5...which is impressive since the Panthers lead the league in hits.
Panthers get on the board in the 2nd...
10 minutes in and it's back and forth…although the Blues with the best chances…4 shots to 2.
With 9:02 left a faceoff in the Blues end and a pass from one side of the ice to the other and the Panther player one-times it past Hofer's glove side…not much of a chance for Hofer on their 13th shot.
Blues to the powerplay with 3:06 left…0 for 8 in their last 5 games with the man advantage. Blues have 2 good shots but can’t score.
We end the 2nd tied at 1…and the Panthers with 17 total shots to 18 for the Blues.
20 minutes to go…
Blues make an initial rush into the Panther end…Alexey Toropchenko makes a great net drive and gets pulled down…Blues to the powerplay 19 seconds into the 3rd period. A couple of great chances including Sundqvist in the crease...2 shots on the PP...but no goals.
Blues struggle through the first 10 minutes as the Panthers pressure in the Blues end for seemingly most of the first half of the period. The Blues had a difficult time clearing the puck.
5 Minutes!!
Shots are 22 for the Blues and 23 for the Panthers. Hofer standing tall…making several stellar saves…
Jake Neighbours takes a questionable hit to the head along the boards and his teammates take exception going after the Panther player…no penalties were called with 1:20 left. Missed call by the refs on the head hit.
Regulation ends with a 1 to 1 tie and we go to overtime! Shots through 3 periods are Panthers 26 and the Blues 22. Blues guaranteed 1 point.
OT!!
Panthers win the opening OT faceoff…The Blues get possession…then lose it to the Panthers…back to the Blues …back to the Panthers…first shot by the Blues and a second shot in tight, Bobrovsky makes the saves…Panthers steal the puck and draw a penalty for tripping on Brayden Schenn with 43 seconds left. 4 on 3 PP for the Panthers…and their first shot with 16 seconds left beats Hofer inside the arm hole…Hofer who was sensational deserved better.