Blues beat Flames 4-2 as Neighbours scores twice, go-ahead in third

CALGARY — Jake Neighbours scored twice, including the goahead goal early in the third period, and Joel Hofer made 27 saves as the St. Louis Blues beat the Calgary Flames 4-2 on Saturday at Scotiabank Saddledome. Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist and Pius Suter also scored for the Blues, while Matt Coronato netted two goals for Calgary. Dustin Wolf stopped 24 shots for the Flames.

Neighbours tied the game at 12:41 of the second period with a backhand through Wolf’s pads, snapping a scoring drought that stretched more than 150 minutes for the Blues. Thomas then converted a power play at 14:25 of the second to put St. Louis ahead 2-1. Coronato responded 32 seconds later with his second of the night to restore the tie.

The decisive sequence came at 11:07 of the third when Neighbours tipped a Colton Parayko slapshot past Wolf to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead. Suter pushed the margin to two later in the period when he redirected a Tyler Tucker point shot at 13:33.

St. Louis started Hofer in net after Jordan Binnington allowed five goals on 21 shots in the season opener. Hofer held the Flames the rest of the way, while Calgary’s Wolf made 24 saves in his third start in four nights.