Blues 2, Panthers 1 (SO)
Jori Lehtera scored in the fifth round of the shootout and Brian Elliott made 40 saves as visiting St. Louis edged Florida.
Lehtera beat Roberto Luongo between the pads in his first career shootout attempt and set up Jaden Schwartz’s goal in regulation as the Blues won their third straight game. Elliott stopped more shots in the third period (20) than he did in the first two combined (18).
Nick Bjugstad scored with 1:13 remaining in the third period as Florida extended its home point streak to five games (3-0-2). Luongo stopped 32 shots, including 14 in the first session.
Luongo denied Blues captain David Backes on a rebound chance to keep the score level in the opening 20 minutes, but Schwartz found a way past Florida’s goaltender with a quick wrist shot from in close at 11:48 of the second period. Elliott made his best stop of the contest after allowing a soft rebound on a Panthers power play midway through the third period, recovering to rob Aleksander Barkov with a glove save while falling forward.
Bjugstad spoiled Elliott’s shutout bid with the Panthers net empty late in regulation. Vladimir Tarasenko and Brad Boyes traded wrist-shot goals in the second round of the shootout before Lehtera’s winner.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Panthers D Dmitry Kulikov was scratched as he awaits a phone hearing Monday to discuss his hit on Dallas C Tyler Seguin. … The Panthers fell to 1-6-3 against Central Division opponents, while St. Louis improved to 8-2-2 versus the Atlantic Division. … Bjugstad registered a game-high seven shots.