The Rangers arrived at Enterprise Center in downtown St. Louis on Thursday night still trying to shake off the sting of a humbling shutout loss at home to the Vancouver Canucks. The challenge became even steeper when Artemi Panarin was ruled out shortly before puck drop because of illness, leaving New York without its leading offensive catalyst against a Blues team that was battered by injuries and skating on the second night of a back to back.
Looking for a spark, head coach Mike Sullivan had announced a day earlier that prospects Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault would be recalled from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. The hope was that the young forwards could inject energy into a lineup that badly needed it, particularly in the bottom six. Both players had been producing in Hartford, with Perreault standing out. The 20 year old had been one of the Wolf Pack’s most consistent contributors, entering the night with 10 goals, seven assists, and 17 points in 20 games.
From the opening faceoff, the game had a playoff like feel, with little space and constant physical engagement. St. Louis broke through first in the opening period when Jonatan Berggren scored in just his second game with the Blues after being claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings. The goal gave the home crowd some early life, but it did not tilt the balance of play in a major way.
New York responded in the second period on the power play, and the equalizer came from an unexpected but welcome source. Perreault redirected a feed that glanced off his skate and into the net for his first NHL goal, with Will Cuylle and Noah Laba picking up assists on the play. The milestone made Perreault the youngest Rangers player to score his first NHL goal on the power play since Christian Dubé, a name that feels like a blast from the past.
The game remained knotted at one goal apiece through two periods. The Rangers spent long stretches defending as the Blues pushed in the offensive zone, but St. Louis struggled to turn that pressure into truly dangerous chances. With regulation unable to settle matters, the contest moved to overtime, an area where the Blues had yet to record a win this season.
The three on three session unfolded as a patient, possession heavy battle, with both teams waiting for an opening. That moment arrived when Vincent Trocheck carried the puck into the Blues’ zone, pulled up along the boards, and threaded a sharp pass to captain J.T. Miller. Miller wasted no time, snapping a blistering wrist shot past the goaltender to seal his third overtime winner of the year.
In the end, the Rangers were lifted by contributions from both ends of the experience spectrum. A clutch finish from veteran leadership and a breakthrough moment from their youngest skater provided exactly the kind of balance Mike Sullivan wants his team to build around.