Kaskimaki's first career NHL goal caps Blues' rally in 5-4 victory over Red Wings

DETROIT (AP) — Aleksanteri Kaskimaki scored his first career NHL goal to cap the St. Louis Blues' rally from a two-goal, third-period deficit in a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

Kaskimaki tapped in an Alexey Toropchenko pass with 6:45 remaining to complete the comeback after Pavel Buchnevich and Justin Barron scored earlier in the period. The 22-year-old from Finland was playing in his 11th NHL game.

Jimmy Snuggerud scored his team-high eighth goal and Dalibor Dvorsky added the Blues' other goal. Joel Hofer made 24 saves in the opener of St. Louis' four-game road trip.

Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist to lead the Red Wings. J.T. Compher and Keegan Kolesar scored the first goals of the season for Detroit. Kolesar’s goal was his first point in 14 games since he was acquired from Vegas in an offseason trade.

Emmitt Finnie added a power-play goal for the Red Wings, while John Gibson made 10 saves.

The Red Wings were playing their second game since center and former captain Dylan Larkin was suspended without pay. Larkin, who requested a trade during the offseason, decided after the team's road trip earlier this week that he would sit out until he's dealt.

The Blues had only one shot on goal in the first period, but it found the back of the net, as Dvorsky scored at 2:29 on a backhander. Compher scored into an empty net at 8:13 to tie it after Hofer misplayed the puck behind the net.

Kolesar scored on a breakaway 41 seconds into the second period. Raymond's unassisted goal was matched by Snuggerud's tip-in in the final minute of the second.

Finnie's goal at 3:29 of the third gave Detroit a 4-2 lead.

Blues: Visit New York Rangers on Tuesday.

Red Wings: Visit Florida on Monday.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Detroit Red Wings left wing J.T. Compher (37) tries to pass the puck as St. Louis Blues left wing Connor McMichael, left, defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Red Wings center Emmitt Finnie (58) takes a shot on goal as St. Louis Blues defenseman Adam Jiricek (36) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Red Wings right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) skates against St. Louis Blues right wing Alexey Toropchenko (13) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson (36) stops a shot on goal against the St. Louis Blues during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgarians voted on Sunday in a presidential runoff marked by regional security threats and economic worries at home.

Acting President Iliana Yotova — who would become Bulgaria’s first elected female president if she wins — faces opposition candidate and former interim Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov. Yotova beat Gyurov by a narrow margin of 2.8 percentage points in the first round of voting on Oct. 25, which drew record low turnout — only 23% of eligible voters cast a ballot, according to election officials.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. for another highly polarized contest in which the candidates will be trying to attract voters with contrasting political visions. The first exit poll results are expected after polls close at 8 p.m., with official results to be announced Monday.

Bulgarians are voting against a backdrop of growing economic hardship and increased drone attacks on Black Sea shipping, which have left several sailors dead or missing.

Yotova is running as an independent. As vice president, she automatically became acting president earlier this year when the former head of state, Rumen Radev, resigned to lead his party to victory in the general election.

The vote is the first major test for Prime Minister Radev’s Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party, which has endorsed Yotova.

Yotova is expected to continue Radev’s policy of keeping Bulgaria on its European path, while also supporting better relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions.

Both Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine but remain evasive about possible Russian involvement in drone attacks in the Black Sea region.

During a TV debate between the two presidential contenders this week, Yotova advocated a settlement involving both Ukraine and Russia, saying that “peace could come only through negotiations.” She also proposed a security meeting involving all six Black Sea countries to sign a moratorium on hostilities.

Observers say that a victory for Yotova would keep the presidency in the hands of the ruling majority. Such a concentration of power could prevent the effective maintenance of checks and balances on policy decisions by institutions, they say.

Yotova’s challenger is economist Gyurov, a former deputy governor of the central bank and caretaker prime minister who led the country in early 2026. He is backed by the pro-Western, reformist opposition.

Gyurov has often expressed firm support for Ukraine and signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv during his premiership.

Gyurov said he wants Bulgaria to be a reliable NATO ally able to stand for up its interests with strong diplomacy and a firm position.

Gyurov criticized the government for being reluctant to name Russia as the aggressor in the Russia-Ukraine war. He called for identifying the threat and for Bulgarian participation in EU decisions from the outset.

“When you have no position and are not at the table, you are in fact on the menu,” he said.

Front pages of Bulgarian newspapers display the results of the first round of the presidential election in Sofia, Bulgaria, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, as incumbent leftist Iliana Yotova and pro-Western reformist Andrey Gyurov advance to a Nov. 1 runoff following record-low voter turnout amid widespread political distrust. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova)

Incumbent President and presidential candidate Iliana Yotova speaks to journalists after polls close in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova)