Blues need one more bounce-back from Jordan Binnington in Game 4
Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues looks on from the bench during the third period against the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Enterprise Center on June 01, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Jordan Binnington played poorly for the Blues in Game 3. But it’s not the first time that the Blues goalie has faced adversity in the playoffs. In fact, he’s responded well in those spots.
Time to see if he can do it one more time.
Binnington allowed five goals on just 19 shots on Saturday against the Bruins, getting yanked from the game for the first time in the postseason. It was the fifth time he’s allowed four or more in the Blues’ playoff run. But he’s shown the ability to rebound from poor performances consistently.
In his four starts following games of four or more goals allowed, Binnington has allowed seven goals on 122 shots – a .943 save percentage. The Blues are just 2-2 in those games, so his bounce-backs haven’t necessarily led to victory.
Jun 1, 2019; St. Louis, MO: Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug (not seen) scores on St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington during the second period in Game 3 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final at Enterprise Center. (Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports)
But it does show that while the Bruins have clearly gotten to Binnington to this point in the series, there’s reason to believe he’ll play much better in Game 4 on Monday night.
However, the Bruins’ top line and power play have come alive and there may be no looking back for those units. They’ve been targeting Binnington’s five-hole and it became especially leaky in Game 3. It’s possible that Binnington’s skill limitations will not be able to hold up against the Bruins’ attack.
The Blues haven’t shown much push-back in terms of skill. So it could turn out that Binnington will have to steal Game 4 for the Blues. It may be their only hope in a series where it’s hard to figure out a winning plan for them.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
