PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins started strong with a goal from Ryan Graves just 2:17 into the game, setting the pace for their 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night. Graves’ early tally marked his first of the season. Conor Timmins followed up with another goal, flicking a shot past goaltender Jordan Binnington shortly after the second period began, providing the Penguins with a 2-0 lead.
Zack Bolduc responded for the Blues, netting a power-play goal with 8:25 left in the second period, narrowing Pittsburgh’s advantage to 2-1. However, Connor Dewar extended the lead for the Penguins by redirecting Blake Lizotte’s pass into the net with just over two minutes remaining in the period. Both Timmins and Dewar recently joined the Penguins through a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In the third period, Dylan Holloway quickly added a power-play goal for St. Louis, but Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust countered about six minutes later. Alexey Toropchenko then managed a goal for the Blues, reducing the Penguins’ lead to 4-3 with 11 minutes left in the game. Rickard Rakell sealed the win for Pittsburgh by scoring an empty-netter in the final seconds.
Notable Takeaways:
For the Penguins, Dewar’s goal added him to the list of 27 different Pittsburgh players who have scored this season, the most by any team in the NHL. As for the Blues, goaltender Jordan Binnington was unexpectedly pulled following Rust’s goal, a move that raised eyebrows considering Binnington’s track record as a reliable starter and a tournament-winning goalie for Canada.
Crucial Moment:
A pivotal sequence occurred shortly after Dewar’s goal when Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry made critical saves against consecutive shots by Jordan Kyrou, enabling Pittsburgh to carry a 3-1 lead into the final period.
Vital Statistics:
Penguins’ goalie Tristan Jarry recorded 33 saves, enhancing his impressive record against St. Louis to 7-1-0, including an unbeaten 5-0-0 at the PPG Paints Arena.
Looking Ahead:
Next up for St. Louis is a match against Minnesota on Saturday, while Pittsburgh will host New Jersey on the same day.
