Panthers get win over host Blues

[March 10, 2020]    Brett Connolly scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and the visiting Florida Panthers beat the St. Louis Blues 2-1 Monday night.

Panthers goaltender Chris Driedger (60) and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) defend the net against St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn (10) during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The Panthers (35-26-8, 78 points) won their second consecutive game while continuing their push for an Eastern Conference playoff spot. They sit in fourth place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Mike Hoffman also scored for the Panthers, and Chris Driedger made 26 saves. Driedger has stopped 85 of 89 shots in his past three starts while filling in for the injured Sergei Bobrovsky.

Colton Parayko scored, and Jordan Binnington made 32 saves for the Blues (41-19-10, 92 points), who lost for just the second time in their last 11 games.

Both goaltenders starred.

Blues forward Alexander Steen nearly shoveled a rebound inside the right post with 8:52 left in the first period, but Driedger stretched out to glove the puck as it reached the goal line.

With 51 seconds left in the period, Binnington matched that with a dazzling save of his own. Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar got a breakaway, but Binnington did the splits to get his right skate on Weegar's shot and keep the game scoreless.

About five minutes into the second period, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad burst up the ice for a clean break-in -- but Binnington robbed him with a glove save.

The Blues finally broke through with 8:40 left in the second period when Parayko took a cross-ice pass from Robert Thomas and blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle.

Hoffman tied the game at 1-1 with a power-play goal with 3:48 left in the period, converting his second chance from the right dot after the Blues failed to clear the puck.

Connolly put the Panthers up 2-1, scoring into the open left side of the net off Aleksi Saarela's cross-ice pass at the 4:23 mark of the third period. Saarela collected his first two NHL assists in his ninth game.

In his past 11 games, Hoffman has eight goals and five assists.

--Field Level Media

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