SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 26: Pavel Buchnevich #89 of the St. Louis Blues scores a game-winning goal in overtime against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on January 26, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) …
SEATTLE - The Seattle Kraken squandered a two-goal lead and a standout performance from All-Star selection Oliver Bjorkstrand as the St. Louis Blues rallied for a 4-3 win in overtime behind a pair of goals from Pavel Buchnevich.
Buchnevich scored the game-tying goal early in the third period and the game-winning tally in overtime in a game that oozed with playoff implications with both teams on the playoff bubble.
"It's a tough point to lose," head coach Dave Hakstol said. "We played hard. We played a pretty good hockey game. You know, we obviously would like to capitalize on one or two good opportunities that we had. And you know, that can maybe change the game when it's a one- or a two-goal game."
The Kraken remain one spot behind the Blues in the Western Conference standings. St. Louis is currently the first team on the outside of the eight-team playoff field, as they sit just one point behind the Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings in the standings.
"That's a tough one, obviously, in our own building we should be able to lock that down and play with that lead throughout the third," defenseman Brian Doumoulin said. "And we've played in a lot of one-goal games, a lot of tied games this year, so it should be a position that we're comfortable with and especially playing with the lead at home."
Bjorkstrand scored his 13th goal of the season and created a turnover that led to Eeli Tolvanen's 13th goal of the year, which gave Seattle a 3-1 lead in the second period. However, St. Louis would convert on both of their power play opportunities in the game with Buchnevich's goals in the third period and overtime carrying the Blues to victory.
"It's probably a game I think we probably should win. I thought we played good enough," Bjorkstrand said. "Unfortunately, you know, they found a way to tie it and from there we couldn't really get that last goal."
Given the tight battle for the final playoff spots, it's a game that could come back to haunt Seattle as the Blues have now won the season series over the Kraken. St. Louis won 2-1 in a shootout in the third game of the season back in October with one meeting left to go in April.
Jordan Binnington was terrific for the Blues in net to help keep St. Louis in the contest long enough for a rally to develop. Binnington stopped 33 of 36 shots faced on the night as the Kraken doubled up the Blues in number of total shots on net.
"We had a lot of good net front presence, created a lot of chances and Binnington played really well tonight," Doumoulin said.
With Adam Larsson in the penalty box for a tripping penalty, the Blues capitalized on the power play to take the early lead. Jordan Kyrou rang a shot off the post ahead of a Seattle clearance, but the ensuing rush into the Kraken zone saw Brayden Schenn outflank the defense to find Oskar Sundqvist driving the back post for a 1-0 lead.
Less than three minutes later, the Kraken found the tying goal. Brian Doumoulin's wrist shot from atop the left circle utilized a screen in front of the net from Brandon Tanev and Blues defenseman Colton Parayko to beat Jordan Binnington to the glove side. Doumoulin's shot rang off the post and into the net to tie the game at 1-1.
Seattle controlled the play in the opening period, out-shooting the Blues by an 11-5 margin as Binnington helped keep the Blues level. Binnington denied a pair of rebound chances for Bjorkstrand right in front of the net off an initial shot from Tolvanen.
Seattle took advantage of a power play chance early in the second period to jump in front. A short-handed break chance for the Blues saw Joey Daccord save a shot from Torey Krug. The push from St. Louis yielded a 3-on-2 break back the other way with Bjorkstrand finishing a tidy passing play from Jared McCann and Alex Wennberg for a 2-1 Kraken lead.
Bjorkstrand's defensive play then created another Kraken goal. Bjorkstrand won the puck off Scott Perunovich in the St. Louis zone with a well-timed stick lift. Tolvanen and Yanni Gourde ended up 2-on-0 against Binnington off a pass from Bjorkstrand with Tolvanen beating a flailing Binnington for a 3-1 advantage.
Another power play chance for St. Louis allowed the Blues to get closer. A point shot from Perunovich was expertly tipped in front of the net by Blues leading scorer Robert Thomas as the shot redirected through Daccord to cut the Seattle lead to 3-2.
"Obviously that's a turning point. They get back within one," Hakstol said. "Their power play is going pretty good right now and you know, we missed an opportunity at a clear. We had an opportunity to clear that puck with about 45 seconds to go in that kill and we weren't able to get the puck out, get it 200 feet and they end up with a tip goal."
Jaden Schwartz – playing in his 700th career game against his former team – had a prime chance that just missed to return the two-goal advantage. A loose puck was tipped to Schwartz at the right side of the net, but his shot went into the side of the net just outside of the post.
"We had more than enough to score a couple more goals tonight," Hakstol said.
Less than 90 seconds into the third period, the Blues tied the game up again. Seattle failed to get out of their own zone and Thomas set up Pavel Buchnevich in the left circle as his wrist shot beat Daccord.
The Kraken got lucky shortly thereafter as a rush chance for the Blues saw Kevin Hayes' shot go off the left post as St. Louis looked for the lead. Similarly, in overtime, André Burakovsky had his stick break in front of the Kraken net, which left Seattle briefly outnumbered as Thomas had a prime chance stopped by Daccord.
Tomáš Tatar had a chance against Binnington on the opposite end that was turned aside, but Schenn and Buchnevich worked a perfect give-and-go to set up the winning goal for the Blues.