The reigning NHL champions, St. Louis Blues beat Vancouver Canucks tonight, after overtime, 3-2.
With this win, the Blues decreased the gap in the series between them and the Canadian team to 2-1, avoiding a pretty unpleasant situation in which Canucks could have a three-goal lead.
The hero of the match for the Blues was their center Brayden Schenn, who scored a game-winner at 15:06 into the OT. It was an execution of one breakaway and a goal after 21 shots combined on both sides. We need to say that goalies Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom had a fantastic evening and that these two guys were in the middle of the attention, especially in the overtimes.
Allen had 39 saves for the Blues. The 30-year old appeared as a starter for the franchise from St. Louis for the first time in more than three years. With the starting goalie, Jordan Binnington in terrible shape, and with Vladimir Tarasenko unfit to play, the Blues’ head coach Craig Berube turned his attention to Allen, who repaid him in the best possible way.
All four goals in this event took place in the second frame. We saw the Canucks catching the lead, then falling behind, before eventually equalizing in the final moments of the same.
JT Miller netted with 1:19 into the period, with Quinn Hughes’ assist. Justin Faulk scored the first goal for the champions. The 28-year old defenceman converted a turnover, to create a swing that would eventually lead to one more goal for St. Louis Blues.
With 1:52 until the end of the period, Ryan O’Reilly made it 2-1 for Berube’s side, but their lead lasted for just 37 seconds. It was Elias Pettersson who leveled the score, which didn’t change until the end.
Both sides tried to solve this contest in the final sequence, but Allen and Markstrom denied attempts from both sides. Canucks’ goalie had 47 saves and was superb, but unfortunately, his teammates didn’t utilize this fantastic performance.
The result in the series is 2-1 for the Canucks, who won the first two. After 5-2 in the opener, Vancouver posted a 4-3 OT win in the previous event.
Up next Game 4, is set for Monday night, at 10:30 pm ET in Edmonton, the Western hub city.
The question which stands now is whether the champions are capable of turning the series upside down?