St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) – Carlo Colaiacovo’s tally at 1:47 of overtime sent St. Louis over Philadelphia, 2-1, at Scottrade Center.
After Philly’s Danny Briere rang a shot off the right post through traffic, the Blues broke back into their offensive zone. Alex Steen had his initial backhand chance blocked, but the rebound came to Colaiacovo at the point for a blistering game-winner.
Brad Boyes netted the other score for the Blues, who won their season-opener after finishing 2009-10 by missing the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.
Jaroslav Halak stopped 29-of-30 shots for the win, his first with St. Louis after coming over in an offseason deal from Montreal. Halak had ended last season by facing the Flyers with the Habs in the Eastern Conference finals, but lost in five games.
Briere lodged the lone tally for the Flyers, who were coming off a win at Pittsburgh on Thursday and will host Colorado for their home opener on Monday.
In his first start of the season, Brian Boucher was the hard-luck loser despite making 23 saves.
St. Louis jumped on top with 4:12 to play in the first as Erik Johnson's blast from the point was tipped in by Boyes for a 5-on-3 score. Claude Giroux and Braydon Coburn committed infractions 27 seconds apart and put the visitors at a clear disadvantage.
Boucher stopped 11 shots in the second and Halak had an easier time halting six chances in a scoreless second frame.
Briere evened the score at the 2:15 mark of the third period, when he followed up a second-chance rebound and beat Halak from the right side
Boucher and Halak took turns making key saves for the remainder of the third. St. Louis failed to convert a trio of man advantages, but it was Halak who kept the Blues in the contest with 13 saves in the final period.
Game Notes
St. Louis has won two in a row at home over Philadelphia, after dropping five straight from 2001-05...Prior to the game, the Blues unveiled a statue of Brett Hull outside the arena...Hull skated the majority of his career for St. Louis (1988-98), amassing almost 500 goals with the franchise alone...Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger missed the game as he continues to recover from off- season knee surgery...St. Louis forward Cam Janssen left the game in the second period and did not return after absorbing an accidental hit by teammate Brad Winchester.