Alexis Lafreniere scored the tiebreaking goal with 11:44 remaining in the third period and the host New York Rangers, who blew three one-goal leads, emerged with a 6-4 victory over the struggling St. Louis Blues on Monday night.
New York snapped a four-game home losing streak and won for just the second time in seven games overall (2-4-1). St. Louis, which dropped its fourth straight contest, fell to 1-6-0 in the seven games since a seven-game winning streak.
Lafreniere atoned for taking an offensive-zone penalty that led to a goal in the second period by forechecking behind the net and then getting in front of the crease. After New York defenseman K’Andre Miller pressured Ryan O’Reilly into a turnover near the half-boards, Lafreniere redirected a shot by Mika Zibanejad over goalie Jordan Binnington’s pads.
Chris Kreider sealed it by finishing off a short-handed breakaway with 5:56 remaining as the Rangers improved to 6-7-3 in their past 16 games.
Miller scored the tying goal early in the third. Braden Schneider and Adam Fox scored in the first period and Vincent Trocheck scored early in the second for the Rangers, who held leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2.
Former Ranger Pavel Buchnevich, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jordan Kyrou scored tying goals for St. Louis. O’Reilly scored to give St. Louis its only lead at 4-3 late in the second period before the Rangers came back.
New York goalie Igor Shesterkin made 25 saves while Binnington stopped 18 shots. Binnington allowed six goals for the third time this season and dropped his sixth straight decision.
After the teams enjoyed few scoring opportunities for most of the opening period, there were three goals in the final 2:46 of the frame.
Schneider’s slap shot from the left circle opened the scoring. Just 70 seconds later, Buchnevich was credited with the tying goal when Fox tried to clear but the puck went off his skate and in.
The Rangers regained the lead on a power play with 27.9 seconds left when Fox’s shot from the middle of the slot sailed over Binnington’s right shoulder.
Tarasenko intercepted Zibanejad’s clearing pass and his shot from the lower left circle deflected off Fox’s stick 12 seconds into the second.
Trocheck deflected an Artemi Panarin shot for a 3-2 lead 67 seconds into the second. The Blues tied it again when Kyrou blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle on a power play at 11:04 of the middle period.
The Blues gained their first lead when O’Reilly backhanded a rebound off a Brayden Schenn shot at 12:35 of the second. The Rangers tied it 4:48 into the third when Miller’s wrister trickled off Binnington’s glove.
Lafreniere and Trocheck each had a goal and an assist and Panarin added two assists for New York. Kyrou logged a goal and an assist for St. Louis.
–Field Level Media
