Jori Lehtera scored the winner in the fifth- round of the shootout as the St. Louis Blues edged the Florida Panthers, 2-1, on Sunday.
Lehtera flew in down the right side and cut to the front before slipping a quick shot between the pads of Roberto Luongo. Jussi Jokinen then rang his attempt off the left post as the Blues escaped with the win.
Brian Elliott stopped 40 shots, and Jaden Schwartz scored the only goal in regulation for the Blues, who have won three straight.
Nick Bjugstad scored late and Roberto Luongo stopped all but one of the 33 shots he faced for the Panthers, who have lost their past three games.
This game stayed scoreless until 11:48 of the second period when St. Louis got on the board after a Florida turnover.
The Blues gained the zone and an attempted pass to the slot was broken up, but the puck went to the right corner. Lehtera picked up the disc and dished it back to the circle for Schwartz, who wristed it in for his 20th of the season.
Elliott made 18 saves through the first two periods, but saved his best for the third with his team down a man.
Lehtera was in the box for hooking midway through the final frame, and Derek MacKenzie got a shot on net from the left circle that Elliott stopped. The rebound came out to the right side and Jonathan Huberdeau had an open net to slam it home, but Elliott quickly came over and gloved the puck with 9:11 to play.
Florida, though, was able to tie the game with Luongo pulled for an extra attacker as Bjugstad was able to throw it out front from a sharp angle at the right side, where it hit off a Blue and went in with just 1:13 left in regulation.
Game Notes
St. Louis hosts Dallas on Tuesday ... Florida starts a four-game road trip in Toronto on Tuesday ... St. Louis didn't have a power play in the game, while Florida was 0-for-2.
[SportsNetwork.com]
