Robert Thomas’ power-play goal 2:12 into overtime helped the host St. Louis Blues tie a franchise record with their 11th straight victory, 5-4 over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
Thomas added an assist for the Blues (42-28-7, 91 points). Jake Neighbours collected two goals, and Jordan Kyrou scored a goal and assisted on the game-winner. Joel Hofer made 24 saves to earn his fifth straight victory.
Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Rutger McGroarty all tallied a goal and an assist for the Penguins (30-34-12, 72 points), who have lost four of their last five (1-2-2).
Connor Dewar also scored, and Sidney Crosby notched his 55th assist of the season to earn a point for the 11th straight game. Tristan Jarry stopped 14 shots while losing for the fifth time in his past six starts (1-3-2).
After forcing overtime with a last-minute goal in their previous game, the Blues needed to overcome one to match the mark set by the Stanley Cup champions six seasons ago.
St. Louis saw a 4-2 advantage it held midway through the third period evaporate after Rakell and McGroarty rallied the Penguins. McGroarty, a rookie playing in his fifth game, earned his first two points. His first goal came with just 25 seconds left in regulation.
The Blues controlled the puck for most of the extra session, and Kyrou forced Kris Letang to slash him with 3:32 to go, allowing the Blues to get an extra skater on the ice.
Rust gave the Penguins the lead with 16:28 left in the first period. That lead held until the first horn.
The Blues scored three times in the middle frame. Neighbours tied it in the opening minute, but Dewar reclaimed the lead for Pittsburgh four minutes later. The Blues, though, got goals from Buchnevich and Kyrou 77 seconds apart to go up 3-2 with 11:55 left in the period.
Neighbours made it a two-goal lead less than six minutes into the third.
McGroarty wasn’t the only rookie to celebrate a first on the ice. St. Louis’ Jimmy Snuggerud also tallied an assist in just his second game.
–Field Level Media
