Photo: Harrison Barden/Getty Images
The St. Louis Blues held on to defeat the Minnesota Wild by a score of 6-4 in the 2022 NHL Winter Classic at Target Field, home of the MLB’s Minnesota Twins, in St. Paul on Saturday night. The game was the NHL’s coldest ever as it was -6 degrees fahrenheit at puck drop and tied for the highest-scoring outdoor one.
The Blues take sole possession of first place in the Central Division with 43 points with the win. The Wild are three points behind them and two behind the Nashville Predators with a game in hand on both teams.
Current mood. 🥶 #WinterClassic
🇺🇸: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/EuBswsMwTL
🇨🇦: @NHL_On_TNT ➡️ https://t.co/LaJpv7c3yx pic.twitter.com/rtG5umZvtt— NHL (@NHL) January 2, 2022
Pregame Scenes
The scenes. 🎆 pic.twitter.com/ac2LwHq8rj
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 2, 2022
Love to see the toque over the goalie mask. #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/8LYDwzFI0P
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) January 2, 2022
The definition of what “arrive in style” means. 😎
See the @StLouisBlues *in their hockey uniforms* at the 2022 @Discover #WinterClassic at 7p ET on @NHL_On_TNT and @Sportsnet. pic.twitter.com/X2SLReKWld
— NHL (@NHL) January 1, 2022
🥶🥶🥶 #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/MxLHY2W0o4
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) January 2, 2022
ICED coffee anyone? 🙃 pic.twitter.com/GDngOtNkxi
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 2, 2022
First Period
Blues left-wing David Perron stashed a loose puck by Wild goaltender Cam Talbot’s blocker from the left side after defenseman Jon Merrill blocked a shot and the puck went right to Perron to help him open the scoring with 5:31 left in the first period.
We’ve got our first goal of the #WinterClassic, courtesy of David Perron (@DP_57). 🙌
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/EuBswsMwTL
🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT ➡️ https://t.co/LaJpv7c3yx pic.twitter.com/FXp1TxQeic— NHL (@NHL) January 2, 2022
Wild left-wing Kirill Kaprizov fought off Blues defenseman Colton Parayko while trying to drive to the net and tried to feed right-wing Mats Zuccarello but the puck went off of Blues defenseman Niko Mikkola and past the left pad of goaltender Jordan Binnington to tie it 25 seconds later.
Kaprizov ties it right back up! #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/RZ3gMavSzN
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) January 2, 2022
The Blues led 14-6 in shots through 20 minutes.
Second Period
27 seconds in, Wild right-wing Ryan Hartman deflect left-wing Jordan Kyrou’s intended feed for right-wing Vladimir Tarasenko from the wall in the net at the goal crease after Kyrou took the puck down from the blueline to the goal line to give St. Louis the lead back.
Jordan Kyrou came to play. 😤#WinterClassic | @StLouisBlues pic.twitter.com/d2JCi4STho
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 2, 2022
Tarasenko blasted a one-timer through by the right arm of Wild goaltender Cam Talbot from the right dot after Kyrou, who took the play up from the defensive end, fed him from up top to make it 3-1 at 8:55.
Vladimir Tarasenko has 3 goals in 1.4 Winter Classics.
Just sayin’ #stlblues #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/jFUCRSXJnA
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 2, 2022
Center Ivan Barbashev tucked home the puck in front after Talbot robbed Kyrou’s wrist shot from the dot on the power-play to extend the Blues’ lead to three with 5:14 left.
It’s -8 degrees with the Blues are ON FIRE! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/3EigPlqKWv
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 2, 2022
Kyrou, who set an NHL-record fourth point in one outdoor game, ripped a shot over the glove from the left dot after executing a give-and-go passing play with center Robert Thomas and hesitating for a moment to give the Blues a 5-1 advantage with 2:02 to go.
This kid’s alright. #WinterClassic #stlblues pic.twitter.com/t2YAve9lWZ
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 2, 2022
Center Rem Pitlick banked a shot off of the stick of Binnington and in from behind the net to get the Wild back within three 40 seconds later.
Minnesota Boy Rem Pitlick gets one back #mnwild pic.twitter.com/wUWDsRfNnU
— Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) January 2, 2022
Defenseman Torey Krug ripped one from the slot past Talbot’s glove after getting a pass by Barbashev from the dot to restore the Blues’ four-goal lead 41 seconds after the Wild struck.
WE’RE BRINGING THE HEAT! #WinterClassic #stlblues pic.twitter.com/vidqgTNZ0S
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 2, 2022
The Blues led 28-14 in shots, including 14-9 in the second.
Third Period
Wild goaltender Kappo Kahkonen replaced Talbot.
Hartman buried a pass by Zuccarelllo into a wide open net at the side of the goal on a two-on-one to cut the St. Louis lead in half at 8:40.
CLASSIC HARTZY#mnwild | #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/bYRnvEGUUc
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 2, 2022
Wild left-wing Kevin Fiala wristed one in front of the goal after getting a feed from the side by Kaprizov, faking a shot, waiting, and beating Binnington lower blocker-side to get within two with 5:44 left.
Daily ask. Would you sit in -10 degrees weather for an outdoor game?
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) January 2, 2022
Binnington earned 27 saves while Talbot finished with 22. Kahkonen stopped all three that came his way in the third period.
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