Sloppy first period…Blues score late
Back and forth early. The first shot on goal for either team was 3:37 into the period.
Blues get a powerplay at 11:25…the Rangers are #2 in the league on the penalty kill…and the first and second scoring opportunities go the Rangers way…Hofer with two good saves. Only one shot on the PP for the Blues.
With 1:09 left in the period, Robert Thomas, Jake Neighbours, and Pavel Buchnevich play past the hot potato until Neighbours finds Buchnevich alone in front of the net, and Pavel fires a one-timer laser low glove side to beat Quick—his eighth goal. The period ends 1-0 for the Blues…Rangers with the edge in shots 8 to 7.
Period 2…Blues extends the lead…
Can you say Jordan KYROOOUUU!! Wow…makes a great play along the boards skates in all alone and blasts a wrister under the glove of Quick…Brayden Schenn and Alexey Toropchenko with the assists…2 -0 lead at 6:33. His 13th goal and forth game in a row with a goal…a new career high.
Can you say Robert THOOMMMAS!! Wow…skates in alone and fires one top shelf…where momma hides the cookies…9:32 left. It was his sixth of the season to make it a three-goal lead. Unassisted. Only for the third time this year, the Blues have a three-goal lead.
End of 2…3-0 Blues…Hofer is standing tall, stopping all 19 Ranger shots through 40 minutes. Blues with three goals on 14 shots. Rangers out hitting the Blues 27 to 18.
Period 3…the dreaded three-goal lead…
A back and forth first 10 minutes of the 3rd period…Rangers get on the board ruining the shutout with 9:42 left on a deflection that beats Hofer's short side.
Rangers with a push and a one-timer from the slot, there is no chance for Hofer on the Rangers 23rd shot. Two goals in 1:19.
5 Minutes!!!
Rangers pull the goaltender with 2:33 left in the period…Blues can use an empty net goal…Rangers control the puck well 6 on 5… a great defensive play by Toropchenko and Nathan Walker to clear the puck with under a minute and the Blues can hold the Rangers at bay.
That’s a winner!! Sweep the 2 game season series against the Rangers.
Hofer 4th win in a row stopping 26 of 28 shots a .929 save %. Blues with 24 shots.
Notes: Thomas extends his point streak to 7 games (4 goals, 9 assists)…An unofficial scoring streak of 9 games he’s played for Buchnevich (3 goals, 6 assists)…18 one-goal games for the Blues, 2nd most in the league…Cam Fowler played 23:50, 1 second more than Parayko and the most on the team and Cam was a +2...