Jesper Bratt scored a breakaway goal in overtime to overcome a late collapse by the New Jersey Devils, instead sending them to a 5-4 victory Thursday night against the visiting St. Louis Blues.
Bratt beat Jordan Binnington at the 1:26 mark after Dougie Hamilton broke up a St. Louis scoring chance near the Devils’ net. It was Bratt’s third goal and Hamilton’s seventh assist of the season.
The Devils won their third straight game and for the seventh time in eight games, but only after blowing a 4-1 lead late in the third period.
Anthony Mantha had two goals and an assist, and Luke Hughes added a goal and an assist for New Jersey, which has also won six straight at home. Jack Hughes and Brett Pesce each added two assists.
Mason McTavish, Philip Broberg and Dalibor Dvorsky scored in the third period to tie the score for the Blues, who fell for the fourth time in six games.
A bad turnover by goaltender Connor Hellebuyck on a clear attempt from behind the net set up Dvorsky for the tying goal with 5:06 left to play in the third. It came 18 seconds after Broberg’s score.
New Jersey started the first period aggressively, putting St. Louis on its heels and dominating in shots 16-4. Binnington responded sharply, but after the Devils controlled a face-off in the Blues zone, they took a 1-0 lead on a 35-foot wrist shot by Luke Hughes at the 7:34 mark.
Ross Johnston’s strong hit on Mantha late in the first period seemed to stem the tide for St. Louis, and another big hit early in the second period by Jake Neighbours prompted a brief fight and put Timo Meier in the penalty box for 17 minutes after he retaliated.
Thomas scored a power-play goal to bring St. Louis within 2-1 late in the second, but Jesper Boqvist and Mantha scored 19 seconds apart in the final two minutes to give the Devils space temporarily.
Hellebuyck finished with 28 saves. His old adversary, Binnington, made 31 saves in a rare start.
Recently acquired in a blockbuster trade from Winnipeg that he demanded, Hellebuyck also was the winning goalie for Team USA at the most recent Olympics in Italy. The Americans beat Team Canada with Binnington in net for the gold medal.
