GAME 5 AT MINNESOTA
When: Tuesday, May 10 at 8:30 p.m. CT
Where: Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN
Watch: Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports app, ESPN
Listen: Q94 KSPQ 93.9 fm
Best-of-7 series tied, 2-2
Taking tough losses in Games 2 and 3, the St. Louis Blues responded in strong fashion to even the series against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday in Game 4.
In front of an energetic crowd at Enterprise Center, the Blues took the pressure of a potential 3-1 deficit in stride and played with force to a 5-2 victory. David Perron had his second multi-goal game of the Playoffs, and Jordan Kyrou dipped through the Wild defense for a highlight-reel finish to add his second goal of the night.
Ryan O’Reilly sealed the win with a power-play goal in the third – after a touching Mother’s Day tribute to his mom, Bonnie, who was watching from the stands.
Jordan Binnington, in a performance reminiscent of his 2019 Stanley Cup run, delivered 28 saves to notch his 17th career postseason victory – joining Mike Liut and Greg Millen for most in franchise history.
“We wanted to make a switch (in goal) – we lost two in a row – and wanted to just change the momentum and our look a little bit,” said Blues Head Coach Craig Berube. “I thought (Binnington) was really good tonight – played the puck exceptionally well.”
With the depth of the defensive core still facing numerous injuries – including Marco Scandella exiting Game 4 with a re-aggravated lower-body injury – Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk carried a massive load, each eclipsing 30 minutes for the first time all season and adding one assist apiece. The Blues certainly hope that Nick Leddy and Robert Bortuzzo – deemed “decent” possibilities to play the pivotal Game 5 – are healthy and ready to go as soon as they can.
Game 5 is Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. CT
NOTEWORTHY STATS
– When a best-of-seven series is tied 2-2 in the NHL, the winner of Game 5 holds an all-time series record of 219-58 (.791).
-The Blues hold an all-time series record of 12-2 (.857) when they lead a series 3-2, including 6-2 when starting on the road.
-The Blues have recorded at least one power-play goal in all four games against Minnesota so far in the postseason, scoring five goals on 18 opportunities.
THEY SAID IT
“Anytime you can get the first goal, it’s a huge confidence booster for the team. Especially here at home, the crowd was unbelievable tonight – definitely got us going.” – Jordan Kyrou after scoring two goals in Game 4
“I think we still created some momentum, and that’s the most important part. Of course we want to get some goals in, but there were opportunities there.” – Wild forward Freddy Gaudreau after Game 4
BLUE NOTES
Perron scored twice and added an assist in Game 4, bringing him to 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in his last 16 postseason games… Torey Krug leads all Blues with 46 career postseason assists and 57 career postseason points, but he is out with a lower-body injury… Scott Perunovich made his career postseason debut in Game 4, recording his first career postseason point with an assist… Perron and Ryan O’Reilly share first place in the NHL with two power-play goals this postseason, joining Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog.
