Marchessault scores in OT, lifts Golden Knights past Blues

ST. LOUIS -- Jonathan Marchessault scored 49 seconds into overtime to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 2-1 win against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on Monday.

Marchessault picked up the puck behind the net, skated below the left face-off circle, and beat Jordan Binnington with a wrist shot.

"He’s a big goal type of guy," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "I didn’t think that line had their best night, but he hung in there and got the job done. We’re using him a little more maybe than in the past in overtime and with the goalie out in certain situations, and he tends to respond. He is always going to rise up to the moment.

"That’s one thing about 'Marshy,' no matter if he’s had a great game, an average game or a poor game, he’s always going to be ready to go when the bright lights are on, and tonight was no different."

Marchessault's goal came after Vegas goalie Logan Thompson made a glove save on Pavel Buchnevich on a penalty shot 30 seconds into overtime.

"Certainly he's a player you want [to have] that opportunity. The goalie made a good save," St. Louis coach Drew Bannister said of Buchnevich. "That's part of the game."

Said Vegas forward William Karlsson: "I think the word is clutch that we're looking for. They were clutch, and obviously a huge save there on that penalty shot in OT. That's what we need from the goalies at this time of year."

Pavel Dorofeyev scored for the Golden Knights (39-25-7), who have won six of eight and moved five points ahead of the Blues for the second wild card into Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. Thompson made 31 saves.

"Just where we are right now matters," Cassidy said. "If it's earlier in the regular season, you don't worry so much about it. ... You want to make sure you walk out of here with the extra point. I thought it was a real well goaltended game, to be honest, at the end of the day. Both goalies gave their teams great chances to win, and we were one shot better."

Brandon Saad scored, and Binnington made 32 saves for the Blues (38-30-4), who are 6-1-1 in their past eight games.

"They're a good team. We fought hard," St. Louis captain Brayden Schenn said. "You're not going to dominate the whole game, but I thought we came hard in the third and had some chances, lots of chances to score. It's nice to come away with one point. Had a chance in OT.

"We played them hard, and we're going to carry the momentum over to the next game. This team isn't going to quit fighting. We're going to go all the way to the finish. We still believe in here [that] we can make the playoffs."

Dorofeyev put Vegas ahead 1-0 at 5:59 of the first period. He skated off the right boards with the puck and stuffed it past Binnington from the top of the crease.

Saad tied it 1-1 at 14:53 of the third period. He put in a backhand cross-crease pass from Schenn at the left post for his third goal in as many games.

"We had the opportunities," Bannister said. "In the third period, we had some good looks and the goalie was able to keep the puck out of the net. But it wasn't from the lack of opportunities. We had them. We had to finish on our chances."

NOTES: Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore had an assist on Marchessault's goal for his 300th NHL point (70 goals, 230 assists). He has 18 assists in 16 games since returning from an upper-body injury Feb. 20. ... Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist left the game at 9:50 of the second period with a lower-body injury after he was hit in the corner by Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb. Bannister had no update after the game, but Sundqvist was seen walking in a boot with crutches. ... Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo missed his fourth straight game with an illness. ... St. Louis honored defenseman Nick Leddy with a pregame ceremony for playing in his 1,000th NHL game on Saturday against the Minnesota Wild. ... Saad has five points (three goals, two assists) during a three-game point streak. ... Blues forward Jordan Kyrou had an assist and has seven points (four goals, three assists) during a three-game point streak. ... Vegas center Jack Eichel's four-game point streak ended (four goals, one assist). ... St. Louis forward Jake Neighbours' NHL career-high six-game point streak ended (five goals, two assists).