Binnington, Blues end Golden Knights winning streak at nine

LAS VEGAS --Jordan Binnington made 34 saves, including 22 in the third period, and the St. Louis Blues ended the Vegas Golden Knights' nine-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.

"We had a very, very strong first two periods," Binnington said. "The third period was an opportunity to regroup and give the boys a chance to win. We did a great job shutting things down. They didn't have too many great looks. It's fun battling it out in the last minute and closing it out."
Ryan O'Reilly had a goal and an assist, and Ivan Barbashev and Brandon Saad also scored for the Blues (5-8-0), who have won two straight following an eight-game losing streak.
"We're building. We're doing a good job," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "This was a better game than the last one (a 5-3 win against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday). We have to keep getting better. … Puck play has been solid, not making too many turnovers. Overall, when you have good puck play, it keeps teams from not getting freebies"

Reilly Smith and Phil Kessel scored, and Adin Hill made 25 saves for the Golden Knights (13-3-0), who outshot the Blues 22-5 in the third period.
"Unfortunately, we didn't get to our game quick enough until it was third period," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Nice to see a good push from the guys. Probably deserved better in the third. … For us, not good enough in the second. We took ourselves out of the game. Then we fought real hard to get back into it but didn't have enough."
Saad gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead at 9:47 of the first period, scoring with a wrist shot from the left face-off circle over the right shoulder of Hill.
Smith scored 59 seconds later while short-handed to tie it 1-1. He beat Binnington blocker side from all alone in the slot after three Blues players followed Chandler Stephenson along boards after his initial chance on a rush went wide.

Kessel gave the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead at 2:43 of the second period when his shot from inside the blue line went under the right arm of Binnington.
Barbashev tied the game 2-2 at 16:06 after Hill turned the puck over to Brayden Schenn behind the net. O'Reilly then put St. Louis in front 40 seconds later following another giveaway by the Golden Knights, this time by Nicolas Hague.
"We kept going," O'Reilly said. "We did a good job at keeping to work and got the momentum back. We got some good timely goals. It's a good win."

The Blues outshot the Golden Knights 19-8 in the second period.
"In the second period we had some self-inflicted issues below our goal line breaking pucks out. … They got some life from it," Cassidy said. "This is a team that just lost eight games in a row. Then they win a game and now they're starting to feel that they're a good hockey club."
NOTE:Smith's short-handed goal was his third this season, the most in the NHL.