The new-look St. Louis Blues take their season-best three-game winning streak to Anaheim on Sunday, where they will face the Pacific Division-leading Ducks.
St. Louis won 3-2 in overtime Friday at San Jose just hours after the players learned center Brayden Schenn, the team’s captain, and defenseman Justin Faulk, an alternate captain, were dealt before the league’s trade deadline earlier in the day.
Robert Thomas scored twice, including the game-winner in the first minute of overtime, to keep the Blues streak alive. Despite playing in just 45 games, the center leads the team with 15 goals and 39 points and is tied for the team lead in assists (24) with Pavel Buchnevich.
Rookie Jimmy Snuggerud also scored for the first time since the Olympic break ended. The winger has 11 goals and 27 points in 50 games.
The three-game winning streak has come against teams in or near playoff spots. St. Louis entered Saturday with the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference, which was why the Blues were sellers at the trade deadline.
“I think that just kind of shows the team that we have in here,” Snuggerud said after the win. “Determined to beat anyone, and playoff teams or not, I think we just come to the rink and try to execute.”
Blues goalie Jordan Binnington played Friday, his second game since the Olympic break ended. The Canadian netminder stopped 23 of 25 shots to end a personal eight-game skid.
The Ducks also needed more than three periods to get the win Friday. Cutter Gauthier and Alex Killorn scored in a six-leg shootout to give Anaheim a 6-5 home win over Montreal.
Anaheim needed to rally from a 2-1 first-period deficit and a 5-4 one in the third period to force extra time. Chris Kreider tied the game in the final minute as part of his season-high four-point night (one goal, three assists).
Friday marked Anaheim’s 19th comeback victory, tying Montreal for tops in the NHL.
“I don’t really know what to say about the games, to be honest, because they’ve been kind of chaotic and kind of crazy, but very entertaining,” Krieder said after Friday’s win.
Gauthier also scored the first goal, his team-leading 32nd of the season, for the Ducks to extend his scoring streak to four games. He has seven points since March 1, with six coming on goals.
Defenseman Jackson LaCombe scored his first goal since Dec. 16. He added an assist to give him at least a point in seven of his last eight games.
While the Blues made trades with an eye toward the future, Anaheim looked to prime itself for its first playoff run since 2018.
Key to that was acquiring veteran defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals.
Carlson, 36, has not played since Feb. 5 as he has been dealing with a lower-body injury. He did practice with his new team Saturday, according to The Hockey News, but he will not suit up against the Blues.
