Parayko gets 3 points, Blues spoil Berube’s return with Maple Leafs

Colton Parayko scored twice in the second period and had an assist, and the St. Louis Blues spoiled Craig Berube’s return with a 4-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Enterprise Center on Saturday.

Berube, who coached the Blues from 2018-2023, helped lead St. Louis to a Stanley Cup championship in 2019. He received a video tribute and a rousing ovation from the sellout crowd during a first-period timeout.

“That was good, obviously being a part of [the Cup championship team] too,” Parayko said. “It kind of gives you goosebumps a little bit. He’s obviously a special coach in this organization, special coach to the city. It was cool. Glad he got the credit, well deserved.”

Jordan Kyrou scored, and Ryan Suter had two assists for the Blues (6-6-0), who ended a three-game skid. Jordan Binnington made 35 saves for the Blues.

“We had an OK first, but I think in the second period, we just got pucks deep,” Parayko said. “Had good line changes, I thought, where we got pucks into their zone and we would just get into the O-zone and just roll them over and keep going, and I think took over the game. It was good, I thought. A good game.”

St. Louis defenseman Philip Broberg left the game because of a lower-body injury at 7:02 of the second period when Toronto forward Mitch Marner fell on his right leg along the left boards in the offensive zone. He skated off on his own but limped down the tunnel.

Blues coach Drew Bannister had no update after the game and said Broberg would be reevaluated on Sunday.

“He’s been battling so hard for us and taking hits,” Binnington said of Broberg. “He’s a warrior, though, I know. He’ll be back as best as he can, when he can. It was good to see guys step up and pick each other up. It was a tough play.”

Marner and Steven Lorentz scored for the Maple Leafs (6-5-1), who had won their past two games. Joseph Woll made 20 saves.

“For me, it’s a mindset. We didn’t play in the second the way we played in the first,” Berube said. “Direct, hard on things, pucks. I thought that we were light in the second period.”

Marner put Toronto ahead 1-0 at 5:25 of the first period, collecting a loose puck off Conor Timmins’ shot from the right point after Timmins intercepted Suter’s clearing attempt off the boards.

Toronto outshot St. Louis 12-4 in the first before the Blues had a 14-8 shot advantage in the second.

“I just think we got too complacent,” Lorentz said. “We came out, I liked our first period. It still wasn’t our greatest hockey, but we were happy with our first period, and we were trying to continue to build on that in the second and that definitely didn’t happen. We kind of took our foot off the gas, and this is a good league. You can’t take anyone for granted and they obviously scored a few quick ones on us and then we were behind the eight ball.”

Parayko tied it 1-1 at 3:29 of the second period on a slap shot from the right point when the Blues got the puck to the point and Parayko used forward Oskar Sundqvist as a screen.

“Obviously good net-front screen too, that was a huge part of it,” Parayko said. “Just trying to get pucks to the net. Great job by ‘Sunny’ in front.”

Kyrou gave St. Louis a 2-1 lead at 8:08 when his centering pass caromed in off the left skate of Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe. It was his first goal in 11 games.

“It was definitely nice to get that one,” Kyrou said. “My [linemates] were making great plays for me all game.”

Parayko extended it to 3-1 at 12:33 on a one-timer from just behind the left circle.

Lorentz cut it to 3-2 at 13:52 of the third period, scoring on a loose puck off a rebound.

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