Hayes scores game-winner after late brother's birthday

There was a moment in Wednesday’s 6-5 win against the Arizona Coyotes - just seconds after he scored the game-winning goal - where Kevin Hayes touched his heart and pointed up towards the sky.

It’s something Hayes has done every time he scores since Aug. 23, 2021 - the day his brother, former NHL player Jimmy Hayes, passed away.

In a wild game that saw both starting goalies chased from the net before the end of the second period, Kevin got a breakaway in the third period and broke a 5-5 tie, recording the game-winner to seal a second straight win for the Blues. The goal came just one day after what would have been Jimmy’s 34th birthday.

“Obviously it was difficult (Tuesday), but [my teammates] knew about it and everybody made sure I was doing well, and I talked to my family,” Kevin said after the game. “Ultimately, maybe Jimmy helped me a little bit (with that goal) there.”

“It’s tough on him,” said Blues captain Brayden Schenn. "You can sense it, you can feel it, you can say a couple words to him, but there’s nothing we’re going to say as teammates that’s going to make the day much better for him. That was his best buddy, a guy that played in the NHL.

"A birthday goal for Jimmy."

Kevin keeps a picture of his brother in his locker room stall at Enterprise Center, and he takes one on the road when he travels, too. His sticks also feature the name "Broadway" on the shaft, a nod to Jimmy's nickname from his playing days.

“He was my biggest fan,” Kevin told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the start of the season. “I just go out there every night and try my hardest, knowing that he’s watching.”