Kyrou finds success again at NHL Winter Classic for Blues

CHICAGO -- There must be something about the great outdoors that agrees with Jordan Kyrou.

The St. Louis Blues forward scored to give his team an early two-goal lead in the Discover NHL Winter Classic on the way to a 6-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field on Tuesday.

Having big days in big venues is nothing new to Kyrou. He set a single-outdoor game NHL record at the 2022 Winter Classic in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with four points (two goals, two assists), and became the second player to register a total of five points in two outdoor games, following David Pastrnak (four goals, one assist) at the 2019 Winter Classic and 2021 NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe.

“I don’t know, just a lot of people watching the game,” Kyrou said inside a jubilant Blues locker room. “I just think you get a little more hyped up for the game, and you want to perform well.”

Kyrou scored his goal on the power play at 8:10 of the first period to give St. Louis a 2-0 lead, taking a cross-ice pass from Jake Neighbours tapping the puck into an open net from the edge of the crease.

“Just a great play overall by [Dylan Holloway] and Jakey there,” he said. “A little down-low play, Jakey a little fake shot, he just set it to me for a tap-in. So great play by them.”

Kyrou said he thanked Neighbours right after the goal. It’s not the first time the two have worked together well.

“He already said, ‘Nice pass,’” Neighbours said. “He’s fed me lots. I’ve fed him lots. That’s part of the gig, man. We’re just happy we’re scoring.”

Kyrou is now three points shy of matching the most points all-time in outdoor games (Jonathan Toews, Henrik Zetterberg: seven points).

“He scores goals in the outdoor games,” said teammate Colton Parayko. “It’s fun to watch. He’s a great player, all the tools he has with his speed, the way he can move, and his hockey sense is incredible. We’re lucky, and we’re fortunate to have him.”

Perhaps it’s the atmosphere of the Winter Classic and outdoor games that gets Kyrou going, even if the rainy weather at the start of the game on Tuesday may not have been conducive to scoring.

“I think after the first (period), it wasn’t too bad,” he said. “First period it was raining a little bit and the ice wasn’t great, but it definitely wasn’t (as bad) as the last Winter Classic I was in. It was like minus-20 or something, so much snow. So it was way worse.”