WHEW! Golden Knights Beat Blues in Crazy OT, 2-1; Extend Playoff Lead

Just 30 seconds into overtime, Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin tripped St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich, who was headed for a breakaway. Referees awarded a penalty shot and on Buchnevich’s stick against Golden Knights goalie Logan Thompson rested St. Louis’s chance to pull within three points of the final playoff spot.

Thompson made the save.

Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault (39) scored 19 seconds later. The Golden Knights claimed an important and wild 2-1 victory over St. Louis at the Enterprise Center Monday. The win put the Golden Knights five points ahead of St. Louis for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Marchessault is one goal from his a40-goal campaign.

The four-point game became a two-point swing when St. Louis forced overtime with a late third-period goal. Jordan Kyrou fed Brandon Saad near the net off the rush. Saad (23) easily finished the chance behind Thompson with 5:07 remaining in the game, and the teams entered overtime tied 1-1.

Thompson made 31 saves, including two in overtime for the win.

As they’ve done in recent games, the Golden Knights were the better team for the first two periods, outshooting St. Louis 12-6 in the second. However, St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington made 32 saves and kept his team in the game. Nicolas Roy and Nic Hague led the Golden Knights with four shots each.

The Golden Knights opened the game well again. Pavel Doroyev worked the cycle on the right wall with Anthony Mantha before Doroyev (11) took the puck to the net. Without a St. Louis defender to stop him, he beat Binnington from the top of the crease.

However, the Golden Knights didn’t score again until Marchessault’s OT winner.

The middle of the first period had some excitement. Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb and Blues forward Brayden Schenn engaged in a healthy fight. According to HockeyFights.com, 50% of respondents thought McNabb won the duel, while only 17% thought Schenn.

The Blues have 10 games remaining, while the Golden Knights have 11 left. The LA Kings squeaked out a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks Monday, meaning LA has won four straight, and the Golden Knights continue to trail LA by two points. The Golden Knights have now won four of their last five games. They’ll face the red-hot Nashville Predators tonight at Bridgestone Arena. Nashville has points in 17 straight games since coach Andrew Brunette canceled a team party to see U2 at the Sphere.