O’Reilly scores twice as Blues even series with 3-1 victory over Canucks
EDMONTON, Alberta — Ryan O’Reilly had two goals and an assist as the St. Louis Blues beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 in Game 4 on Monday night to even in their first-round playoff series.
Alex Pietrangelo also scored for the Blues and added an assist. Jake Allen made 22 saves.
J.T. Miller scored for the Canucks, and Jacob Markstrom stopped 34 shots.
Game 5 is Wednesday.
O’Reilly gave the Blues a 2-1 lead at 6:52 of the second as he took a pass out of the corner from David Perron, walked out in front of the net and flicked a backhander into the top corner for the second two-goal playoff game of his career.
The Blues then caught a break on a two-man advantage. Pietrangelo zipped the puck through traffic in the crease and the puck hit Edler’s stick and went in with 4:13 to go in the middle period.
O’Reilly, last year’s Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the MVP in the Blues’ Stanley Cup run, scored late in the first period on the power play — the first time the Blues have opened the scoring in the series.
Pietrangelo sent a slap shot that missed the net, but the puck caromed straight back off the backboards to O’Reilly standing beside the goal post. O’Reilly elevated the puck from a sharp angle under the crossbar with 3:37 left.
Vancouver tied it just 40 seconds into the second period. Alex Edler wristed the puck from the blue line. Miller redirected it and it bounced past Allen for his fourth goal of the postseason.
The Blues have now won two straight after dropping five in a row in return-to-play action.
O’Reilly has three goals in the series. Perron recorded two assists and has registered a point in every game this series (two goals, four assists).
St. Louis won without winger Vladimir Tarasenko, who missed his second straight game. The NHL has not divulged the reason.
Vancouver defenseman Tyler Myers was also scratched for a second time. He fell awkwarly head-first into the boards late in Game 2.
Petro on what the #stlblues did differently in their Game 4 victory: “We played in their end pretty much most of the game. It’s tough for them to get any sort of offense going when we’re playing that hard down low.” pic.twitter.com/DvO5bU15YM
— FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) August 18, 2020
NOTES: Allen started for the second consecutive game, replacing Jordan Binnington. … Markstrom has played every minute for the Canucks through eight postseason games. … Vancouver captain Bo Horvat was kept off the scoresheet for a second consecutive game after lighting up the Blues for two goals in each of the first two contests. … Canucks D Quinn Hughes also saw his streak snapped. The Calder candidate was going for a point in his seventh consecutive post-season game. The 20-year-old has one goal and eight assists. … The Blues’ power play, ranked third in the NHL during the regular season (24.3 per cent), finally got going, with two goals after going 2 for 11 in the first three games.
