ST. LOUIS — In a thrilling overtime finish, Robert Thomas netted a power-play goal to earn the St. Louis Blues a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, tying a franchise record with an 11th consecutive win. This Thursday night victory also marked their 10th straight home win, setting a new franchise milestone.
Jake Neighbours stood out for the Blues, scoring two goals alongside efforts from Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou. Goalie Joel Hofer contributed to the team’s success with 24 saves. On the opposing side, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Rutger McGroarty, and Connor Dewar found the back of the net for the Penguins. Tristan Jarry, the Penguins’ goaltender, managed 14 saves during their fourth consecutive road loss.
An assist from Jimmy Snuggerud, who made his mark with his first career NHL point, set up Neighbours’ second goal. This was only Snuggerud’s second game after being drafted by the Blues in 2022 and signing his entry-level contract. Meanwhile, McGroarty tied the score for Pittsburgh with just under 24 seconds left in regulation with his inaugural NHL goal.
Rust continues to impress, adding another goal and nearing his personal best season total of 28 goals from the previous year. He’s also approaching a career-high for points in a season, closing in on the 58-point mark from 2021-22.
For the Blues, an injury to forward Dylan Holloway, who exited with a lower-body issue, posed a setback. Prior to his departure, Holloway boasted 26 goals and 37 assists across 77 games this season.
A pivotal moment came when Kyrou drew a slashing penalty on Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang just 1:28 into overtime. This opportunity allowed Thomas to capitalize 44 seconds later with the deciding goal.
Thomas’ recent performances have been stellar, as he extended his points streak to six games, posting three goals and 12 assists, and continued his five-game assist streak. As for the Penguins’ legend, Sidney Crosby, he tallied his 467th career road assist, inching closer to NHL great Mario Lemieux’s 469, placing him 10th in the league’s history.
Looking ahead, the Penguins will head to Dallas for their next game, while the Blues anticipate a matchup against Colorado on Saturday night.