Blues sink Sharks in OT, transfer nearer to West wild-card spot

Dylan Holloway buried the game-winning goal in the dying seconds of overtime as the St. Louis Blues outlasted the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on home ice on Thursday.

Holloway was the first man on a loose puck and with just four seconds remaining, he placed his backhand shot high over the shoulder of Alex Nedeljkovic to earn the two points for the Blues (30-30-11, 71 points).

Dalibor Dvorsky also scored and Joel Hofer made 24 saves to help St. Louis post its third consecutive victory. With the win and Nashville’s loss, the Blues moved within six points of the second and final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Alex Wennberg tallied the lone goal for the Sharks (32-31-7, 71 points), while Yaroslav Askarov and Nedeljkovic split the crease after Askarov left the contest halfway through due to injury. San Jose is also six points back of the second wild-card spot out west.

Hofer made his best save of the first period with 16 seconds remaining as he kicked out his pad to deny Zack Ostapchuk’s golden opportunity.

Ostapchuk and Logan Mailloux dropped the gloves just over three minutes into the second period as both teams looked to find a spark.

Askarov left the contest nine minutes into the middle frame and Nedeljkovic took over goaltending duties after Nathan Walker was pushed on top of the San Jose netminder.

William Eklund sent a pass out front to Wennberg, but his shot rang off the far post with 7:03 left in the second.

Dvorsky broke the deadlock with 2:41 remaining in the second period as he sent a bouncing puck into the back of the net, with Holloway earning the primary assist.

The Sharks knotted things up just over five minutes into the third period as Wennberg took a pass from Eklund, kicked it to his stick and sent his shot into the top shelf over the shoulder of Hofer.

Will Smith sent Macklin Celebrini in on a partial break, but Hofer got across to deny the weak shot with 6:47 left in the third.

Celebrini was held pointless for the fourth time over his past five games.

Sam Dickinson had a chance to end it with 1:55 remaining in the extra frame, but couldn’t slide the puck past Hofer.

Dvorsky eyed his second of the night as he was left open out front, but Nedeljkovic stayed with him and denied the opportunity with 1:22 left in overtime.

–Field Level Media