最新杏吧原创

But coach Drew Bannister and the Blues coaching staff swapped Neighbours into the order, and Neighbours delivered with the game-deciding goal in the third round of the shootout. Neighbours鈥� goal lifted the Blues to just their second win in the last eight games and also snapped a four-game losing streak at Enterprise Center.

鈥淚 think it was important for us to win this hockey game for the fans that come to support us,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good step in the right direction here moving forward onto the road.鈥�

Nathan Walker and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues, who received 22 saves from Jordan Binnington as he collected his 151st win, tying him with Mike Liut for the most in franchise history. Alexander Wennberg scored twice for the Sharks, including his goal with 8.8 seconds left in regulation that sent the game into overtime.

最新杏吧原创 will now play seven of its next eight games on the road, beginning with Saturday鈥檚 game on Long Island against the Islanders.

It was the first shootout of the season for the Blues, as all four of their previous games that needed extra time ended in overtime. So this fall, Bannister hadn鈥檛 shown what he would do in that situation, particularly against rookie goaltender Yaroslav Askarov making his first start in a San Jose uniform.

Brayden Schenn shot first, which is not all that surprising given that he was the only Blue to shoot in all seven shootouts last season. Schenn faked a forehand and sent a backhand wide to Askarov鈥檚 left. Kyrou went second, sped into his approach, slowed it down and then also tried a backhand, this time one that glanced off Askarov鈥檚 right leg.

鈥淲e haven鈥檛 seen Askarov a lot,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淥bviously, it鈥檚 his first game (with San Jose). I knew him a little bit in the American League, but just digging into some of his shootouts, we thought that he鈥檇 bite a little bit on what we were trying to do early. So we just made a quick decision to go with more of a shooting threat.鈥�

The original choice might have been someone like Robert Thomas (went first in the first three shootouts under Bannister last season) or Pavel Buchnevich (whose 30% conversion rate was higher than Schenn鈥檚 28% or Kyrou鈥檚 24%). But the Blues landed on Neighbours, and he had some help from Blues goaltending coach David Alexander.

鈥淚 try not to think about (facing a new goalie) too much, just tried to watch the guys that went before me and see what his stance was like,鈥� Neighbours said. 鈥淒avey鈥檚 obviously radioing down from the top and giving us some tips. We looked at a little video quick before the shootout, but at the end of the day, every player鈥檚 kind of got a couple go-tos, and that was one of mine.鈥�

The left-handed shooting Neighbours swooped in from the left wing towards the slot, and then shot back that way, placing a shot glove-side on Askarov above his pad. What did Neighbours see in Askarov鈥檚 stance?

鈥淕ets really wide, he鈥檚 really good laterally, so I didn鈥檛 think I was going to beat him side to side or anything like that,鈥� Neighbours said. 鈥淛ust thought try and go down, freeze him and shoot. 鈥� Ideally, you鈥檙e trying to drag him across the middle point of the net so that you can go back against the grain. He actually held it pretty good, just hit my shot.鈥�

Maybe Neighbours has worked his way into a permanent spot in the Blues鈥� rotation, as he鈥檚 now 3 for 4 in his NHL career. He鈥檚 only the second player in NHL history with at least four shootout attempts and at least a 75% conversion rate, the other being former Minnesota defenseman Petteri Nummelin.

In Blues franchise history, there are only four players with at least four attempts that are over 50%: Neighbours, Brad Boyes (53.7%), T.J. Oshie (52.5%) and Andy McDonald (51.6%). Of course, those previous players had much, much more experience than Neighbours, with 131 combined shootout attempts between them.

As the Blues wrestled with their shootout order, Binnington handled his business on the other end.

He stopped Mikael Granlund鈥檚 wrist shot, he got the shaft of his stick on Macklin Celebrini鈥檚 attempt, and then stoned William Eklund with the game on the line.

Since Binnington became an NHL regular in 2018-19, only one goalie has played in more shootouts (Darcy Kuemper), only one goalie has more wins (Juuse Saros), and only two have made more saves (Jacob Markstrom and Saros).

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a tough stretch of finding ways to win, so we鈥檙e going to take that win and it felt good,鈥� Binnington said.

The Blues escaped disaster after the Sharks tied the game late. 最新杏吧原创 had multiple chances to salt the game away with an empty-net goal, but either couldn鈥檛 get a shot off, or couldn鈥檛 get a shot on net. Failed clearances in the final minute led to Wennberg鈥檚 second goal of the game, earning San Jose a point and suddenly casting doubt on the candidacy of 最新杏吧原创鈥� potential second point.

鈥淚 thought we were great on the bench (after the tying goal),鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淭heir focus was on getting the two points and not what had just happened. That鈥檚 a step in the right direction for us right now moving forward again. Getting two points before we go on the road was important for us. I just liked our reaction after that puck went in the net. It was just 鈥楲et鈥檚 go get the two points now, guys.鈥欌��

Neighbours: 鈥淲e still had an opportunity to get two points, and at the end of the day, that鈥檚 what you come to the rink to try and do. It鈥檚 obviously not ideal giving up one with nine seconds or whatever it was left. But we got the job done, and that鈥檚 what matters.鈥�

Overtime came and went with just three combined shots on goal between the teams, and then it was time for Binnington and Neighbours to earn a victory.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 where you get tested,鈥� Binnington said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e so close, eight seconds away from a 2-1 win, and now you鈥檝e got to battle it out in overtime, shootout. Just got to dig in and come out on top. Jakey came up big in the shootout there. That鈥檚 what sports are about, right? Just finding a way to win and seeing that competitor come out in key moments.鈥�