Schenn scores game-winning goal as Blues beat Golden Knights 4-3

St. Louis Blues' Otto Stenberg (28) and Vegas Golden Knights' Brett Howden (21) chase after a loose puck along the boards during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in St. Louis. Credit: AP/Jeff Roberson
ST. LOUIS — Brayden Schenn scored the game-winning goal at 18:27 of the third period, leading the St. Louis Blues to a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday.
Oskar Sundquist, Justin Faulk and Alexey Toropchenko also scored for the Blues. Joe Hofer recorded 22 saves.
Pavel Dorofeyev, Mark Stone and Keegan Kolesar scored for the Golden Knights, who are 1-5-2 in their last eight games. Vegas has allowed four or more goals in five of those games.
Carter Hart saved 15 shots for Vegas.
Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb sat out with an upper-body injury sustained Wednesday against Nashville, snapping his 298 consecutive games played. It was the 10th-longest active streak.
St. Louis scored two goals in 58 seconds of the second period for a 3-1 lead. Faulk scored on a wrist shot from the right circle goal at 5:39 and Sundqvist on a snap shot at 6:37.
Vegas cut it to 3-2 on a goal by Stone and tied it at 3 on Dorofeyev’s goal at 8:29 of the third period.

St. Louis Blues' Brayden Schenn (10) and Vegas Golden Knights' Ben Hutton (17) battle for a loose puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in St. Louis. Credit: AP/Jeff Roberson
Each team scored a goal in the first period. Vegas went up 1-0 at 10:12 on a goal by Kolesar, his first goal this season.
St. Louis tied it just 27 seconds later when Toropchenko scored on a rebound of his shot.
The Blues were awarded a penalty shot at 3:44 when Noah Hanifin slashed Jordan Kyrou on a breakaway. Kyrou skated into the slot but was thwarted by Hart’s glove save.
Jack Eichel, who had been out with a lower body injury, returned to play for Vegas after missing seven consecutive games He is two assists away from 400 in his career.

St. Louis Blues' Brayden Schenn (10) scores past Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) and Ivan Barbashev (49) as teammate Jimmy Snuggerud (21) watches during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in St. Louis. Credit: AP/Jeff Roberson
Up next
Golden Knights: Will play Sunday night in Chicago.
Blues: Host Montreal on Saturday afternoon.
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