ST. LOUIS, March 20 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Blues extended the longest active run of consecutive playoff berths in professional sports Thursday night as Pavol Demitra scored a mesmerizing overtime goal for a 3-2 victory over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
Demitra scored twice and Doug Weight added a power-play tally for the Blues, who needed only a point to earn their 24th straight postseason appearance.
Demitra single-handedly collected the second point, picking up a rebound to the left of goaltender Martin Gerber and stickhandling around him before scoring from behind the goal line at 2:22 of overtime.
Goalie Chris Osgood won for the third time in as many starts for the Blues, who stretched their unbeaten streak to five games (4
1) and won for the eighth time in their last 10 tries (8-1-1).
Osgood stopped Paul Kariya on a breakaway with 15:54 left in regulation for one of his 24 saves, helping St. Louis solidify its hold on fourth place in the Western Conference.
Anaheim erased a two-goal deficit in the second period but failed to take over sole possession of sixth place in the West.
