Binnington’s Performance Guides Blues To 3-2 Lead Over Bruins In Stanley Cup Finals

The St. Louis Blues took a crucial Game 5 win away from home at the TD Garden to take a 3-2 lead over the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final. The Blues are now one win away from lifting the franchises’ first ever Stanley Cup in its 52-year-old history. Game 5 was the most tense of the series so far, as the final score was just 2-1, the lowest scoring game of the finals. No goal was scored during the first period, but Center Ryan O’Reilly broke the deadlock in the second period.

The Bruins had a dramatic lift in motivation as their veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara started the game despite reportedly breaking his jaw in Game 4. The Blues seemed to have an even bigger lift of confidence, as throughout the game rookie Goalie Jordan Binnington refused to be scored on.

Bruins fans will feel hard done by in this one from the referees, as the Blues took the go-ahead second goal following a controversial no-call after Bruins’ Noel Acciari was tripped. The Bruins were understandably enraged with the no-call, as even the Blues’ forward was anticipating a penalty call.

The Bruins will feel unlucky with some of the decisions, but regardless, they lacked an offensive threat this game. Binnington showed up to play as he had 38 total saves. Even for a veteran that’s impressive, but for a rookie, well his teammates summed up his performance perfectly.

“It wasn’t our best game of the series, but sometimes your goalie needs to make some big saves to change the momentum and he did that,” said Alex Pietrangelo, according to USA Today. “On this stage. Rookie goalie. That’s pretty impressive.”

Binnington did give up a goal in the third, scored by Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk. They had time to comeback, with around 10 minutes still left in the third. The Blues’ defense buckled down, as they have time and time before during this playoff run of theirs.

The momentum is with the Blues as they are going back home, where they have a chance to lift the cup in six games. Game 6 is Sunday at 8:00 EST at the Enterprise Stadium.