Golden Knights’ 8-game win streak ends in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS — Nothing lasts forever, particularly winning streaks.

The Golden Knights did everything they could to extend their record eight-game streak Thursday. But the St. Louis Blues had a little luck on their side, along with a hot goaltender, and together it resulted in a 2-1 loss to the Blues at the Scottrade Center.

A sellout crowd of 18,976 braved temperatures in the low teens and falling snow to watch the Knights’ win streak end and their points streak stop at 13 straight games. It was their first loss in regulation since Dec. 1 when the Knights fell 7-4 at Winnipeg.

“It was a close game that was up for grabs for anybody, and we weren’t quite good enough,” Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “We didn’t play a bad game. We had some good chances at the end, but we weren’t good enough to win it.”

Paul Stastny broke a 1-1 third-period tie 5:59 in and St. Louis goaltender Carter Hutton did the rest. He stopped 32 shots with Erik Haula’s shot the only one to beat him. Haula’s second-period goal tied it after Alexander Steen gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead 9:35 into the contest. It was Haula’s 15th goal, matching his career high last year with the Minnesota Wild.

“We went toe-to-toe against them,” Haula said. “For the most part, we were battling, but it was a one-bounce game in the third, and they got it.

“There was a lot of time left and we had our chances. We were pounding the puck, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Their goalie played great.”

On the game-winner, Stastny was alone at the left post after Marc-Andre Fleury had stopped Colton Parayko’s shot from the right faceoff circle and got a piece of Vladimir Sobotka’s rebound attempt. But the puck was sitting at the post on the goal line, and Stastny nudged it over the line before Fleury could react.

“It was a tough game for us,” Fleury said. “They got a lucky bounce there, and I think there may have been a little miscommunication there. I thought I had it but things sometimes happen.”

Fleury was also excellent as he stopped 37 shots.

“Flower gave us a chance to win,” said David Perron, who along with James Neal assisted on Haula’s goal. “We had some good chances there, especially at the end.”

Hutton seemed to be in the right place at the right time. He stopped Colin Miller twice during a third-period power play. Earlier, he denied Reilly Smith a couple of times. Late in the game, with Fleury pulled for a sixth attacker, he stymied Neal on three different occasions within a 26-second span as the Knights pressed for the equalizer.

“Yeah, they can move,” Hutton said of the Knights, who fell to 27-10-2. “They transition so fast.

“I thought in the first period we gave up a little too many odd-man rushes. You know, they turn the puck over quick. For me, I kind of like that game. It kind of gets me in the flow and I can battle. It’s one of those games, you gotta be ready at any point they turn it over and they can come at you pretty quick.”

The Knights have a quick turnaround as they face the Blackhawks in Chicago Friday. Neal said it means forgetting Thursday and trying for a new win streak.

“You take the good things from this game and you move on,” Neal said. “Chicago’s playing well right now, and they’re tough in their building. It’ll be a good test for us.”

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.