Preview: The St. Louis Blues (30-27-6) and the Blues are back within striking distance of a Wild Card spot. Colton Parayko injured his left knee and is expected to miss six weeks. The team has recalled defenseman Matthew Kessel. Tyler Tucker will be in the lineup and paired with Ryan Suter…Nick Leddy joins Cam Fowler. The forward lines remain the same. Jordan Binnington in the net and Lukas Dostal for the Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks (27-27-7) will face the Blues for the second time this season. The Ducks are in 6th place in the Pacific Division. Cam Fowler will make his return to Honda Center on Friday night for the first time in his career as a member of the visiting team.
Each team on the scoreboard on period 1…
It didn’t take long for the Blues to get on the board…it’s been a long time goalless drought for Alexey Toropchenko…51 games to be exact…he gets an unlikely goal…his 2nd… on a long shot from above the face-off circle that trickles through the goalie…assists by Leddy and Fowler. Blues up 1-0 at 2:37.
The Ducks to the powerplay as Toropchenko takes a delay of game penalty putting a puck over the boards. The hockey gods giveth and taketh for Alexey…good effort on the kill as the Blues don’t allow a shot.
The Blues to the powerplay with 8:19 left in the period…2 shots on the PP…still 1-0.
A second delay of game penalty against the Blues as Nathan Walker is the guilty party this time…5:49 left. A seeing eye shot from the blueline is tipped and beats a screened Binnington and we are tied at 1. The Ducks 7th shot of the period...their only shot on the PP. Blues with 9 shots so far.
End of the first and it’s 1-1…shots 10 to 9 in favor of the Blues.
Blues take the lead after 2 periods…
The Ducks to the powerplay as Leddy is assessed a high sticking penalty five minutes into the period…The Blues allow one shot…and another kill despite good puck movement by the Ducks.
Brayden Schenn…the Captain…gives the Blues a 2-1 lead off a great pass from Dylan Holloway and he puts it top shelf…Schenn’s 13th goal of the season…Jordan Kyrou with the 2nd assist on a good play along the boards. At 10:49.
Pavel Buchnevich takes an offensive zone-tripping penalty with 2:35 left in the period. Ducks are zipping the puck around but only get one shot with eight seconds left in the PP.
2-1 Blues and they lead in shots 17 to 15.
Four goals in the 3rd period…Blues come out on top……
Blues need to stay out of the penalty box…24-2-1 when leading after 2…
Zack Bolduc gets his 11th goal of the season on a breakaway with a pass from Fowler that threads the needle and Bolduc outs on the Jets and squeezes one under the goaltenders arm. 3-1 Blues, five minutes into the 3rd period. Toropchenko the 2nd assist.
5 Minutes!! The Ducks have taken the lead in shots…overall 22 to 21.
A broken play in the Blues end and a strange bounce and the puck is in the net with 3:02 left on a shot that beat Binnington's stick side…3-2…
Ducks pull the goalie with just over two minutes left…and with 1:47 left Schenn puts one in from the blueline…his 14th goal this season from Justin Faulk. 4-2 Blues.
Ducks pull the goalie again with 1:10 left and the face-off in the Blues end…42 seconds left another super all bounce off the boards…to the front of the net and it’s popped in behind Binnington…4-3.
Ducks score as time expires…checking the clock…but not in time…Blues win 4-3…shots end up 23 to 22 in favor of the Ducks