First Star of the Game Cody Eakin’s first goal of the playoffs was a big one, as the Stars beat the Blues 3-2 in overtime to level the series at two-all.
Neither team was able to capitalize of their lone man-advantage in the frame, but Vladimir Tarasenko did find the back of the net with a wrister at the 10:17 mark, assisted by Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz completed a steal by Carl Gunnarsson along the near boards in Dallas‘ offensive zone and was able to find Tarasenko already streaking towards Third Star of the Game Kari Lehtonen’s net. The winger collected the pass near center ice with no defensemen in his path, allowing him to advance between the dots before going five hole on Lehtonen.
In addition to leading on the scoreboard, the Blues also owned the face-off dot (61%), blocks (three to one), giveaways (none to three) and hits (16 to 10).
Radek Faksa leveled the game 4:05 into the second period, with an assist from… Joel Edmundson (that’s a joke, just in case you were wondering). Edmundson was trying to find a teammate in the neutral zone, but Faksa easily intercepted that pass to advance on Brian Elliott’s crease and score on his five hole.
16 seconds after Faksa’s goal, David Backes found himself in the penalty box for tripping Mattias Janmark. It proved to be costly, as 53 seconds later Patrick Sharp scored the Stars‘ first power play goal of the series with a quick wrister past Elliott’s right skate. He was set up by Jamie Benn (his eighth helper of the playoffs) and Jason Spezza. John Klingberg passed the puck along the blue line to Spezza, who found Benn along the far side of the goal line. Benn was forced to the top of the crease, but he found a crashing Sharp to take the lead.
Backes earned himself another trip to the penalty box at the 11:11 mark, but he took Kris Russell with him this team, as both were charged with penalties (roughing and slashing, respectively). The four-on-four circumstances lasted only 1:27 before the Notes earned a four-on-three when Eakin took a seat for slashing Schwartz.
St. Louis converted on that infraction when Paul Stastny scored his first goal of the playoffs, a tip-in on Tarasenko’s initial shot to level the game at two-all. He was also assisted by Alexander Steen. Steen took a pass from Tarasenko near the blue line, but quickly returned the puck back to his possession outside the near face-off circle. Tarasenko fired a wrister right at Stastny’s stick at the top of the crease, which he angled just the right way to get the puck over Lehtonen.
Alex Goligoski sent the Blues right back to the playoffs at the 13:55 mark when he hooked Patrik Berglund, but Steen returned the ice to four-on-four after only 24 seconds when he interfered with Faksa’s advance on the puck. Dallas was unable to convert on their end of the 24 second power play when Goligoski returned to the ice.
Although an exciting second period, this game certainly needed a third, as the score was two-all after 40 minutes. St. Louis continued to lead the game in face-off wins (53%), blocks (four to three) and hits (25 to 19).
Unlike the first two periods, there were no goals or penalties committed in the final 20 minutes. Elliott and Lehtonen deserve credit for forcing overtime, as they both saved all seven shots they faced. Through regulation, St. Louis continued to lead in face-offs (56%), blocks (seven to four), giveaways (four to six) and hits (34 to 30).
Only 2:58 into overtime, Eakin scored the winner with his first goal of the postseason, assisted by Sharp and Benn. Benn collected a pass at his defensive blue line and advanced the puck to center ice before passing to Sharp along the far boards. Eakin received a cross-ice pass at the near face-off dot, which he wristed over Elliott’s glove shoulder to level the series at two-all.
Lehtonen earns the win after saving 24 of the 26 shots he faced (92.3%), while Elliott takes the overtime loss after saving 25 of 28 (89.3%).
With the win, the Stars reclaim home ice for the now effectively three game series. The important Game 5 will occur Saturday at 1 p.m. eastern in the American Airlines Center, and may be viewed on NBC, SN or TVAS.