Third period let down...Bruins beat the St. Louis Blues on a late goal 3 to 2

Mathieu Joseph returns to the line-up after missing six games and Pavel Buchnevich moves back to center after one game at wing. Jordan Binnington looking for a bounce back game after allowing eight goals…many of which he was left alone to defend.

"We owe it to Jordan as a team to play better in front of him," Coach Bannister said. "And I know our guys are going to be ready here for him and I'm sure Jordan's going to respond really well, too." Jeremy Swayman in net for Boston.

Let’s GO BLUES!! Time to shine and get back to .500!

Just four minutes in Boston on the power play…good news is the Bruins aren’t very good on the PP, 29th in the NHL…Binnington with 3 saves to keep it scoreless. Jordan Kyrou with a breakaway with just over 13 minutes left…but he dekes and misses the net…great pass from Jake Neighbours to set Kyrou up.

Short-handed again with 11:37 left…the Blues 23rd ranked penalty kill goes back to work and allows only one shot. With four minutes left the Blues go on the power play…can they break the power play goal drought at home? 32nd ranked PP goes to work and while they have the edge in play…only one shot in two minutes. A scoreless first period…Bruins lead in shots nine to six. Binnington sharp during the period.

Continue the physical play…Period 2

Shorthanded 1:02 into the period…slashing penalty on Ryan Suter is not the physical play needed. Bruins apply the pressure with four shots and Binnington is up to the task. Blues go to the power play at 11:36…and low and behold…they SCORE! First PP goal at home this season by Brayden Schenn on the rebound of a Kyrou shot that was set up by Buchnevich. One to nothing Blues! Schenn’s first goal in 14 games.

Less than two minutes later the Blues are back with the man advantage…the Bruins not taking care of their sticks. Second high stick penalty in a row. And the Blues strike again…Oskar Sundqvist cleans up a rebound putting into a wide open net. Dylan Holloway and Brandon Saad on the assists. Two zip at 12:12.

Speaking of high sticks…the Bruins go to the power play as a phantom penalty is called on Radek Faksa…more of a high stick wave…Blues kill it off…Bruins 0 for 4 with the man advantage and the Blues are 2 for 3 on three shots while on the power play. The first game of the year with the Blues scoring two PP goals.

Jake Neighbours with a breakaway and Jeremy Swayman makes the save with just over four minutes left in the period. Blues hold the lead 2 to 0 at the end of the second period. Bruins lead in the shot category 19 to 14.

 Bruins won’t go away quietly…Period 3

Special Teams have been the story of the game so far…gotta manage the game for 20 more minutes.
Nathan Walker hits the goal post at one end and the Bruins come streaking back and get a goal on their 22nd shot from right in the slot…not much chance for Binnington with the two-on-one. A broken play at 10:45 and a bullet from the blue line eludes Binnington glove side with multiple screens in front…all tied up at two on consecutive Boston shots.

Say it ain't so...

And with 1:46 left another scrambling play in the Blues end and the puck squirts to David Pasternak (who had a one-third of the Boston shots - 10) and he snaps one that squeezes through Binnington…Boston’s 30th shot of the night.

Blues pull the goalie with over 1:30 left and apply the pressure trying to get the tying goal…but fail to get this one to overtime…allowing three third period goals and unable to improve on their two goals in the second period.

Observations: Boston outshot, out hit, and had the edge in faceoffs...The Blues power play was effective for the first time with two goals snapping an 0 for 21 drought on home ice...Blues to two games below .500 7-9-0...Blues scored the first goal of the game for the first time in eight games...Rematch in Boston 11/16...