Binnington makes 40 saves, Blues defeat Flyers in shootout
Hayes scores in return to Philadelphia, ends 19-game drought
"He's been our best player all year," St. Louis forward Kevin Hayes said. "When you've got 'Binner' going like that, it gives us a chance to win every night even when we're not on our A game. I felt like tonight he kept us in there."
Pavel Buchnevich scored the deciding goal in the shootout, and Hayes scored in regulation for the Blues (32-26-3), who have won two in a row following a three-game skid.
Scott Laughton scored for the Flyers (32-23-8), who have lost four of their past six (2-3-1). Samuel Ersson made 24 saves.
"We found a way to get a point," Philadelphia defenseman Travis Sanheim said. "Would have been nice to get the second one."
Laughton put Philadelphia ahead 1-0 at 18:52 of the first period when he went to the net and had Ryan Poehling's centering pass off a 2-on-1 rush hit him in the arm and go in.
Hayes tied it 1-1 at 15:47 of the second to break a 19-game goal drought. The forward lost the puck on a breakaway, but it went between Ersson's pads.
"It was a huge two points," Hayes said. "I don't know how the goal went in. I toe-picked and it ended up in the back of the net. I'll take them any way I can."
"Feeling lately I've been getting some chances but I haven't been scoring. I felt like I was kind of due there. ... There's games where I was having three, four Grade A [chances] a game and nothing was happening. So, it's funny how hockey works sometimes."
It was Hayes' first game in Philadelphia since the Flyers traded him to the Blues on June 27, 2023, after four seasons. He received a tribute video and an ovation from the crowd during the first period.
"It felt great," he said. "I've been saying the whole time I absolutely loved it here. I've got some lifelong friends on that team over there. My four years here was fantastic. I loved every second of it.
"The tribute was nice. More cheers than boos, which was nice. I kept on getting booed throughout the game, but that's Philly for you."
There were ample cheers for Hayes from his teammates.
"I'm proud of him and happy for him," Binnington said. "He's an all-time teammate. We're very fortunate that we picked him up and have him on our team. It's nice he got a little bounce there, and it's kind of all we needed to get to the extra time. It was good."
The Flyers outshot the Blues 20-6 in the third period and overtime. Philadelphia's best chance came when Sanheim had a breakaway with 12 seconds remaining in overtime, but Binnington made a blocker save.
"He kind of outwaited me," Sanheim said. "If I had just waited a second, he's sliding to his left, I probably had the far side. I was going at pretty good speed, but a nice save by him."
It's the second straight game Binnington has allowed one goal. He made 21 saves in a 3-1 win against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday that ended a three-game skid (0-2-1).
"No question Binner was outstanding for us tonight," Blues coach Drew Bannister said. "I didn't think we were very good in front of him. We just mismanaged the puck, caused ourselves a lot of issues, especially in the first [period] and the third. I thought we were a little bit better in the second, but the first and the third, just not able to get pucks deep, forced us to have to defend and had to rely on our goalie a lot here tonight."
NOTES: Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler left the game with 9:22 remaining in the third period. Seeler had gone to the locker room after blocking a shot with his left foot with 3:00 remaining in the second period but returned for the start of the third. There was no update after the game. ... Blues general manager Doug Armstrong became the 11th GM with 800 wins. He is also the third active, joining Lou Lamoriello of the New York Islanders (1,431) and Ken Holland of the Edmonton Oilers (1,133). Armstrong reached the milestone in 1,433 games, second-fastest after Holland (1,381 games).
