Sundqvist sparks Blues in win over Knights

[December 13, 2019]    Oskar Sundqvist came off the injured list to score one goal and set up another as the St. Louis Blues beat the visiting Las Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 Thursday night.

Blues center Oskar Sundqvist (70) is congratulated by teammates after scoring during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Sundqvist, who missed the previous six games due to a lower-body injury, set the tempo for the Blues as they snapped a three-game losing streak.

Mackenzie MacEachern, Jaden Schwartz and Robert Thomas also scored for the Blues. St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington stopped 27 of 29 shots -- including two on Alex Tuch breakaways.

The Golden Knights, who were 5-1-1 in their previous seven games, got goals from Max Pacioretty and William Carrier and 25 saves from Marc-Andre Fleury.

The Blues scored first with strong forechecking by their fourth line. Sundqvist pried the puck loose, Jacob de la Rose passed it toward the front of the net, and MacEachern beat Fleury.

However, the Golden Knights controlled the last 15 minutes of the first period while building an overall 13-8 shots advantage. Pacioretty tied the game by following his own shot off a right-wing rush at 5:17, and Carrier put Vegas up 2-1 with a goalmouth tap-in at 12:28.

Just 94 seconds into the second period, Sundqvist tied the game 2-2 by redirecting Alex Pietrangelo shot/pass from the right point.

The Blues moved ahead 3-2 at 14:53 of the middle period after defenseman Justin Faulk barely kept the puck in at the left point to sustain offensive pressure. Brayden Schenn put a backhand shot on goal, and Schwartz converted the long rebound.

Then Thomas scored off the rush just 39 seconds later to make it 4-2. He broke in on left wing, pulled up near the left post and fired the puck under Fleury's right armpit.

The Golden Knights were playing without forward Cody Glass, who didn't make the trip after sustaining an upper-body injury Sunday in Vegas' home win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Blues forwards Alexander Steen (ankle) and Zach Sanford (upper body) have been skating with the team, but they weren't quite ready to return for this game.

--Field Level Media

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