Last-minute goal lifts Blues to 3-2 series lead on Jets

[April 19, 2019]  Jaden Schwartz scored with 15 seconds remaining in the third period Thursday as the St. Louis Blues recorded the fifth straight road win in their Western Conference first-round series with a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 5.

The Blues will look to close out the best-of-seven series at home on Saturday night.

Tyler Bozak wired a centering feed from along the right-wing boards to Schwartz, who batted the puck out of the air and past Connor Hellebuyck to stun the crowd in Winnipeg.

St. Louis overcame a 2-0, third-period deficit as Brayden Schenn collected a goal and an assist and linemate Ryan O'Reilly scored on the power play. Rookie Jordan Binnington finished with 29 saves for the Blues.

Winnipeg's Adam Lowry scored 12 seconds into the contest and Kevin Hayes also tallied in the first period -- and inadvertently prevented himself from scoring again in the second. Hellebuyck turned aside 26 shots in the loss.

With the Jets nursing a 2-0 lead, O'Reilly shuffled a loose puck from his right skate to his stick before shoveling a shot past Hellebuyck from in close to trim the deficit at 1:29 of the third period.

Schenn forged a tie at 2 with 6:08 remaining in the third after he backhanded the puck into the net as the cage was coming off its moorings.

Winnipeg set the tone right off the opening faceoff after Lowry chipped the puck into the offensive zone. Andrew Copp won possession in the corner, and Brandon Tanev wired the puck from right side off the post. It ricocheted in front to an awaiting Lowry, who converted from the slot.

Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien (33) takes down St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist (70) in front of Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) in the third period in game five of the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell MTS Place. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports

Lowry's goal set a franchise record for the fastest to start a playoff game, eclipsing the previous mark of 31 seconds set by defenseman Jacob Trouba in Game 5 of the first-round series against the Minnesota Wild last year.

Hayes used his 6-foot-5, 216-pound frame to his advantage in order to create space and give the Jets a 2-0 lead with 6:25 remaining in the first period. He shielded Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson from the puck before skating in front of the net and jamming home his own rebound for his second goal in three games.

Hayes accidentally denied himself of recording his second goal of the game just over seven minutes into the second period. After failing to poke home a loose puck after it squirted behind Binnington, Hayes inadvertently knocked it backward as he was pushed to the ice by Blues defenseman Colton Parayko.

--Field Level Media

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