Binnington makes 42 saves, Blues top Golden Knights for third win in row

LAS VEGAS -- Jordan Binnington made 42 saves, and the St. Louis Blues won their third straight game to start the season, 3-1 against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday.

It's the first time the Blues have opened a season with three consecutive road wins, and their first 3-0-0 start since 2017-18.
"You have to win in different ways in this league," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "That's the thing I talked to our team in between periods, don't force things and don't get impatient because that's where you'll make mistakes."
Vladimir Tarasenko scored the go-ahead goal at 9:49 of the third period for a 2-1 lead. Former Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo turned the puck over in the neutral zone, leading to a 3-on-0 the other way, and Tarasenko scored off a pass from Jordan Kyrou.
Tarasenko scored 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 24 regular-season games and two goals in four Stanley Cup Playoff games last season. He played his first game March 6 after missing the first two months recovering from surgery on his left shoulder Sept. 17, 2020. He also had surgery on that shoulder in 2017 and 2019.
Tarseenko was with the Blues from the start of training camp after the forward, through his agent, requested a trade May 25.
"Happy for him. He's been working so hard," Binnington said. "He's been through a lot and it's really nice to see him be rewarded. Can't say enough about that guy and his work ethic. We're all happy for him and hopefully there's more to come."

Robin Lehner made 35 saves, including 16 in the first period, and William Karlsson scored for the Golden Knights (1-2-0).
"He was our best player tonight," Karlsson said of Lehner. "He gave us a chance to win the game."
Lehner allowed four goals through two periods Thursday, a 6-2 loss at the Los Angeles Kings. He said his teammates' work ethic and the mentality to shoot was much better after a five-day break.
"We just needed to create a bit more chaos, I think," Lehner said. "But we've got to clean up some ... I don't know how many breakaways or 2-on-1s (we allowed). That's not been [a problem] since I've been here. If we clean that up, we can give ourselves a better chance."
Vegas played its first game without forwards and leading scorers Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. Pacioretty is week-to-week with a lower-body fracture; Stone, the Golden Knights captain, has a lower-body injury.
"This is a league where it's the first team to three usually," Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said. "We've got to find three goals a night, someway somehow. I know [Karlsson's] line consistently is going to chip one in for us. Where are we going to find the other two?"
Karlsson scored at 8:17 of the first period to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead. He finished a 2-on-1 with Reilly Smith and scored on a rebound after Binnington made a save on the initial shot.
Vegas was outshot 7-2 in the first eight minutes but outshot St. Louis 17-16 after the first.

Brandon Saad scored his first goal with the Blues at 3:21 of the second period to tie it 1-1. Saad, who signed a five-year, $22.5 million contract with St. Louis on July 29, scored on a rebound from a shot by David Perron.
"It shows a lot of character to be able to win in different ways," Saad said. "Regardless of what kind of game we're in, we seem like we're in it, we can win. I think that shows a lot from our team."
Ivan Barbashev scored an empty-net goal at 18:48 of the third for the 3-1 final.
Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez left the game at 7:05 of the third period after crashing into the boards. There was no update on his condition.
"You're always concerned, especially when a guy like that limps off because he's as tough as they come," DeBoer said. "If he's limping off and not coming back, you know that he's hurt."
NOTES: Kyrou has scored seven points (two goals, five assists) in three games. ... Golden Knights forward Nolan Patrick played his 200th NHL game. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers on July 17. ... Vegas forwards William Carrier (concussion), Nicolas Roy (undisclosed) and Brett Howden (lower body) each made his season debut. Howden was acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on July 17.