Blues lose again in overtime, this time in Toronto, 3-2

Matthew DeFranks, St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Nov 18, 2025

Published in Hockey

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One team wasn't going to be desperate enough — it was the Blues.

In a matchup of two of the five worst teams in the NHL, the Maple Leafs beat the Blues, 3-2 in overtime, on Tuesday night in Toronto. William Nylander scored the game-winning goal with 53.9 seconds remaining in overtime.

Nylander scored after John Tavares held off both Philip Broberg and Pavel Buchnevich in a battle along the boards, and kicked the puck free to Nylander on the far side of the ice. Nylander deked Dylan Holloway, then maneuvered around Jordan Binnington before scoring his ninth goal of the season.

The Blues lost the puck before the Nylander goal when Holloway whiffed on a shot attempt, then was below the goalline as the Blues lost the board battle in overtime.

Nathan Walker (own goal) and Dalibor Dvorsky (power play) scored for the Blues, and Binnington made 26 saves. Jake McCabe and Steven Lorentz scored for Toronto in regulation, setting up Nylander's game-winner.

The loss dropped the Blues to 0-5 in games decided in overtime or a shootout. The Blues are 6-9-5 overall, and 3-7-5 in their last 15 games.

The win for Toronto snapped a five-game losing streak

The Blues continue their five-game road trip on Thursday when they visit the Flyers. Philadelphia beat St. Louis, 6-5, in a shootout on Friday night at Enterprise Center.

One bounce, two bounce

The Blues took a 1-0 lead just 1:50 into the first period courtesy of a Maple Leafs own goal that was credited to Nathan Walker. Oskar Sundqvist spun a pass to the net-front for Walker, and the puck was eventually batted into the Toronto net by Nylander.

Since Walker was the last Blues player to touch the puck, he was given the goal. But Walker was not given a shot on goal, so he finished the game with one goal and zero shots on goal.

McCabe tied the game for the Maple Leafs less than four minutes later, the beneficiary of his own fortunate bounce.

McCabe's initial shot from the point was blocked by Dvorsky, but then hopped over Brayden Schenn's stick as he attempted to clear the puck. McCabe got a do-over, and he used Dakota Joshua's screen at the net to score his third goal of the season.

Shooting mentality

Dvorsky's power-play goal with 6:42 remaining in the second period shifted the momentum in the game, and brought the Blues even with the Leafs at 2. On a power play drawn by Walker, Dvorsky displayed often his desire to shoot the puck.

Set up in a one-timer position on the right wing, Dvorsky whiffed on a slap-shot attempt that was just the start of his barrage. A shot from the top of the circle was blocked by Simon Benoit and broke his stick. That sent the Toronto defenseman in search of a new twig, which he received from teammate Lorentz.

When Robert Thomas later spotted Dvorsky in the right circle, his cross-slot pass went right through where Lorentz was standing without a stick. Before the goal, Buchnevich kept the play alive with a dive to win a puck back without leaving the zone.

Once Walker drew the tripping call on McCabe to put the Blues on the power play for the first time Tuesday, the Blues had the next seven shots on goal, and closed the second period outshooting Toronto 9-1 in the final 7:54 of the period.

Dvorsky's goal came after Lorentz gave the Maple Leafs a 2-1 lead about halfway through the second period. Lorentz came off the bench and beat Binnington with a shot from the slot.

Former Blues forward Sammy Blais set up Lorentz when he held up the puck on the wall against Cam Fowler and then found a streaking Lorentz through the slot before he was pressured by Matthew Kessel.

Blais was not even supposed to be in the Maple Leafs lineup on Tuesday night, but drew in when Matthew Knies was ruled out due to an injury. Toronto was also without Auston Matthews, Anthony Stolarz, Chris Tanev, Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo.