BLUES The Blues were trailing 3-1 in the third period Friday against a team they were battling for playoff positioning… but they never wavered.
Justin Faulk cut the Minnesota Wild lead to 3-2 early in the third period, then Brayden Schenn cut down the left wing past defenseman Jordie Benn to score a beautiful backhand goal to even the score. Finally, it was Robert Thomas who won the game just 1:27 into overtime with a one-timer off a feed from Vladimir Tarasenko.
The Blues improved to 6-0-1 in their last seven games and moved into a tie with Minnesota for second in the Central Division with 11 games to go.
Jordan Kyrou did not play Friday due to a lingering illness, and his status for Saturday's game is unknown. Mackenzie MacEachern sustained an upper-body injury in the second period Friday and did not return, leaving his status unknown for Saturday, as well.
ISLANDERS If the Blues are on a roll right now, so are the New York Islanders, who have won five of their last six games entering Saturday's matchup in St. Louis.
On Friday night, the Islanders found themselves in a 1-1 game late in the third period with the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes. Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri broke the tie with 15 seconds remaining in regulation to help his club to a 2-1 win on the road.
New York is 7-3-0 in their last 10 games but are the first team in the East not currently in a playoff berth. They trail the Washington Capitals for the second Wild Card spot by 11 points with 12 games left to play.
HEAD-TO-HEAD The Blues have points in three of the last four games against the Islanders (1-1-2).
In the last eight meetings between the clubs at Enterprise Center, the Blues are 5-2-1.
The Islanders won the first matchup of the season, 2-1, on March 5 in New York.
