In Vancouver, a tight defensive effort between the Canucks and visiting St Louis Blues ended with the Canucks defense nowhere in sight on a goal from Jaden Schwartz in extra time.
After Jordan Binnington made a series of stops on the Canucks, two of the Vancouver skaters fell over each and tangled the third in the melee.
That left the Blues with a three on nobody break with Schwartz getting the winner, 2-1.
“You don’t really get a lot of 3-on-0 practices,” Schwartz said. “You just don’t want to miss when you have that much time. It was kind of crazy how it worked out. I just got it off. I knew the goalie didn’t know what to do because there was so many of us, and they both made a good play of selling it a little bit, and then I was just in the right place at the right time.”
Binnington made 33 saves in the win.
“That was a big-boy game,” Vancouver coach Travis Green said. “That’s a heavy team. They know how to win. If you want to win a Stanley Cup, you’ve got to play in some heavy games. That game was probably the most physical game we’ve been in this season. Our team handled it very well.”
Quinn Hughes scored late in the game to force the extra session.
“We’re a motivated group. We wanted two points,” Hughes said. “We pushed them pretty hard. They are a really good team. For us, it’s encouraging. We just need to keep going.”
Tyler Bozak scored in regulation to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.
“It’s fun, obviously,” Bozak said. “It’s exciting when you win in overtime. Last year kind of helped us in moments like that to not panic and just stick with it and try and play our game and that’s what we’ve done and luckily been on the winning end of them.
“To hold those guys to one is pretty good (Vancouver scored at least five goals in five of its previous six games). They got a lot of firepower. That starts with [Binnington], and our D always does a good job of limiting chances.”
[WATCH: All Blues vs. Canucks highlights]
Jacob Markstrom took the loss on 25 saves and broke his stick against the pipes after the game-winning goal.
“We just kept playing the way we started the game. Sometimes, it can be frustrating when you’re playing well and doing the right things and you don’t get rewarded. We didn’t stop doing what we have been successful doing,” Markstrom said.
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