Two games, two wins, two in come-from-behind fashion.
It’s not how the St. Louis Blues want to play game in, game out, but the end result is all that matters.
Brayden Schenn scored 45 seconds into overtime to complete a three-goal comeback for the Blues in a 5-4 win against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Thursday, spoiling the NHL debut of Macklin Celebrini, the top pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Schenn took a drop pass in his zone from Colton Parayko before speeding through the neutral zone — past Celebrini — and snapped a wrister from the left circle past Mackenzie Blackwood for the winner.
It came after defenseman Justin Faulk tied the game 4-4 to complete a 4-1 third-period deficit by the Blues.
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The Blues, who were 0-2-1 against the last-place Sharks last season, seemed destined for their fourth straight loss against San Jose, and Celebrini was on his way to a win in his NHL debut with a goal and an assist, but the Blues (2-0-0) would win for the second straight time facing a multi-goal deficit on the season. They did so four times in such fashion all last season.
The #stlblues have two wins in two games to begin the season after trailing by multi goals. Last season, they had four such wins all year:
Dec. 16, 2023 4-3 OT vs. DAL
Dec. 23, 2023 7-5 vs. CHI
Jan. 23, 2024 4-3 OT @ CGY
Jan. 26, 2024 4-3 OT @ SEA— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) October 11, 2024
It also marked the fifth time in franchise history the Blues overcame a three-goal deficit in the third period to win.
After San Jose had built a 4-1 lead after two periods on goals by Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli sandwiched around a Pavel Buchnevich goal in the first period, then getting a power-play goal from Fabian Zetterlund and a shorthanded goal from Barclay Goodrow in the second period off Joel Hofer, who made 25 saves, to go up 4-1, the comeback began early in the third.
Radek Faksa would score his first as a Blue at 2:54 when he stuffed a shot at the near post past Blackwood at 2:54 to make it 4-2.
Ryan Suter would get in on the act scoring his first as a Blue at 6:11 to make it a 4-3 Sharks lead getting the home side and its crowd a little nervy.
The Sharks appeared to be in position to hold off the Blues until Faulk’s shot from the edge of the left circle got through Blackwood with Jake Neighbours screening in front with 47 seconds left in regulation.
Coach Drew Bannister announced after the game that forward Alexandre Texier did not play due to an upper-body injury and is day to day. Texier, who had an assist in his Blues debut Tuesday, a 3-2 win against the Seattle Kraken, participated in the morning skate and took the pregame warmup but was replaced by Zack Bolduc.
The Blues close the trip on Friday at 9 p.m. against the Vegas Golden Knights.
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