A late, controversial power play led to a game-winning goal that crushed the Panthers, who battled back from a deficit only to fall in the final seconds.
The Florida Panthers lost a frustrating game on Thursday night in St Louis.
A late power play goal by the Blues after a questionable call on Niko Mikkola sent the home team to a last-second 5-4 victory over the Panthers.
Florida actually got things started early in the Blues Barn, and it was the Cats’ fourth line that once again provided a spark.
Sandis Vilmanis and Luke Kunin dug the puck free below the goal line and found A.J. Greer in front of the net.
Greer’s 11th tally of the season gave Florida a 1-0 lead at the 3:12 mark of the opening frame.
It didn’t take long for the Blues to take their first lead of the game, as Jake Neighbours and Jordan Kyrou scoring a pair of quick goals just 3:05 apart.
A Sam Reinhart power play goal tied the game about 90 seconds later, but goals by Jonatan Berggen and Oskar Sundqvist late in the first and early in the second gave St. Louis a two-goal edge.
Hometown boy Matthew Tkachuk then took it upon himself to bring the Panthers back into the game, scoring his first two goals of the season less than two minutes apart to send the game to the third period tied at four.
That’s how the score would remain until the game’s final seconds.
With the teams already playing at 4-on-4, Mikkola was called for goalie interference on a play where he appeared to be pushed into Blue goalie Joel Hofer by Berggen.
Florida held strong as long as they could, but Jimmy Snuggerud scored on a one-timer with just 8.4 seconds on the clock.
On to the Jets.
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Photo caption: Jan 29, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) defends the net against St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk (72) and left wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) during the second period at Enterprise Center. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)