ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Blues showcased their dominance with a compelling 6-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, extending their impressive winning streak to seven consecutive games, currently the best in the NHL. Philip Broberg and Robert Thomas were instrumental in the triumph, each scoring a goal and contributing three assists.
Broberg made a remarkable impact with his first-ever four-point game. This victory, combined with Minnesota’s loss to Vegas, places St. Louis just two points shy of the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Adding to the Blues’ offensive power, Jordan Kyrou notched his 31st goal of the season, while Dylan Holloway, Alexandre Texier, and Zack Bolduc also found the back of the net. The Blues’ goaltender, Jordan Binnington, was solid between the pipes, racking up 24 saves. St. Louis now holds a five-point cushion over Vancouver for the second wild-card position.
The Canadiens struggled to keep pace, suffering their third consecutive defeat. Captain Nick Suzuki provided a quick response by scoring just 47 seconds after Kyrou’s opening goal in the first period, but Montreal was unable to follow up with any additional goals.
Goaltender Sam Montembeault had a difficult outing, conceding five goals from 32 shots before being replaced by Jakub Dobes for the final 10 minutes of play.
For the Canadiens, the loss was a setback in their battle to improve their standing within the competitive Eastern Conference playoff race, pointed out by Coach Martin St. Louis. The Blues, however, were bolstered by the sight of top defenseman Colton Parayko rejoining the team during morning skate in a no-contact jersey. Despite concerns his long-term knee injury would hinder their postseason chances, the team has been performing at its peak.
A pivotal moment in the game came when Holloway redirected a shot from Broberg with just six seconds left in the first period, allowing the Blues to head into intermission with a 2-1 advantage, all three goals in the period coming in the final two minutes.
Holloway’s contribution was significant. In his debut season with the Blues, he has accumulated 60 points over 73 games, a notable increase from his previous 25 points during 115 games with Edmonton.
Looking ahead, the Canadiens will travel to face the Flyers on Thursday, while the Blues are set to visit the Predators on the same night.