Oilers come back to beat Blues, 3-2 in overtime

Matthew DeFranks, St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Feb 4, 2025

Published in Hockey

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ST. LOUIS — The Blues have limited chances to build momentum going into the 4 Nations break later this week.

The first one came in a 3-2 overtime win over/loss to the Oilers on Tuesday night at Enterprise Center.

Connor Brown scored the game-winning goal for the Oilers with 2:27 remaining in overtime, on a dish from Connor McDavid.

Leon Draisaitl tied the game at 2 with 2:14 remaining in the third period on an extra-attacker goal for his 37th tally of the season. Draisaitl's goal from McDavid nullified Colton Parayko's go-ahead goal with 11:02 left in the third.

Jordan Kyrou (power play) also scored for the Blues, as Jordan Binnington made 34 saves.

Parayko scored on a one-timer off a cross-ice feed from Robert Thomas, who also assisted on Kyrou's game-winning goal on Sunday in Utah. Kyrou scored on the power play, stuffing home a loose puck at the side of the net off an initial Dylan Holloway shot that bounced around the crease.

Brayden Schenn drew an interference call on Mattias Ekholm that put the Blues on the power play when Ekholm leveled Schenn along the boards in the neutral zone.

The Blues host the Panthers on Thursday and the Blackhawks on Saturday before the two-week break.

McDavid cashes in

McDavid gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead 5:50 into the second period with a shot from the left dot on the power play. Blues defenseman Justin Faulk was trying to close out on McDavid before the shot, but a slight nudge from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was enough to disrupt Faulk's attempt.

It was the ninth time in the last eight game that the Blues penalty kill allowed a goal. They allowed power-play goals in six straight games before going 3 for 3 on Sunday night in Utah.

The Blues were on the kill when Cam Fowler was called for hooking after he got beat at the blue line on a zone entry. Fowler was also whistled for tripping in the third period, but the Blues killed that penalty.

Each team finished the second period with 13 shots on goal, but that didn't include perhaps the Blues' best chance of the period. Pavel Buchnevich missed the net wide on a pass from Thomas from behind the net. Jake Neighbours was also stopped on a breakaway.

Nick Leddy, playing his first game since Oct. 15, saved a goal by checking Vasily Podkolzin at the net-front as the second period wound down.

Slow start again

The Blues were outshot 13-3 in the first period but entered the first intermission tied 0-0 thanks to Binnington. Edmonton had a 27-11 edge in shot attempts, and controlled possession in the opening 20 minutes.

While the Blues didn't have many chances in the first period, the few they generated were of the dangerous variety.

Faulk's shot from the point about a minute into the game was blocked just wide by the Oilers. Thomas had the Blues' first shot of the game at 6:36 of the period, a look in the slot set up by Kyrou and Buchnevich. Kyrou himself stick-handed his way to the far post but couldn't stuff a shot on goal.

The first period also featured line-juggling for Jim Montgomery, as he mixed up his combinations. Neighbours replaced Kyrou on the top line, which was matched up exclusively with McDavid and Draisaitl. Kyrou rejoined Schenn and Holloway, while Alexandre Texier dropped down to the third line.

— Blues forward Mathieu Joseph did not play on Tuesday night because he was sick. Nathan Walker drew into the lineup on the fourth line.

— Former Blues forward Kasperi Kapanen was playing in his 500th career NHL game on Tuesday night, and doing it as a member of the Oilers. Kapanen was claimed by Edmonton in November after the Blues waived him.