
St.Louis Blues’ Alex Steen skates away after scoring the winning goal in overtime.UPI/Robert Cornforth
Not only did Blues forward Alex Steen score a power play goal to open the scoring in Tuesday night’s first round matchup with the Los Angeles Kings, but he also scored the game winner on a shorthanded goal, taking advantage of empty net by tapping the puck in for the game winner, a 2-1 final at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
Steen deflected Kings goalie Jonathan Quick’s passing attempt from behind the net and put a backhanded wraparound into the net 13:26 into the overtime period for the Blues’ first win against Los Angeles in nine games. They were 0-7-1 dating back to last season.
This would have been a tough one for the Blues to swallow had they let this one get away.  They dominated the Kings, outshooting L.A. 42-30 and were just about a half-minute from finishing off the shutout, when the Kings pulled Quick for an extra-attacker.  Justin Williams snapped a shot over the shoulder of Brian Elliott with 31.6 seconds remaining to tie the game 1-1.  It was Elliott’s only blemish as he continued his unbeaten streak through the month of April, finishing the month 12-0-2.
In the overtime, defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk was assessed a four-minute high sticking penalty, which gave the Kings a chance to steal the game, before Steen turned the tables. Â Quick, who kept his team in the game with 40 saves, didn’t have much to say afterwards.
“I tried to make a pass. Steen blocked it and scored. I don’t have an option to the left…trying to give my D-man a little more time with the puck. You give it to him early and then he Steen is up his [rear end]. You try to make him make a decision. And he got the stick on it.”
AUDIOÂ Steen, David Backes and Ken Hitchcock discuss the game winner (1:09)
Watch the freaky game winner from NHL.com