Best-of-7 series tied, 2-2
OVERVIEW
The St. Louis Blues (2-2) returned home and took care of business.
After dropping both tilts in Winnipeg to open their first-round matchup, the Blues put forth two dominant performances at Enterprise Center to get back to even. And they outscored the Jets (2-2) by a 12-3 margin in the process.
It’s been a group effort as the team fights its way back into the series. But two significant adjustments have been the activation of the defense and control of the net-front, helping the Blues to up their offensive output and chase Vezina finalist Connor Hellebuyck two games in a row.
“Getting to the net-front, our defensemen having a shot-first attitude, has really helped us create garbage, ugly goals,” said Head Coach Jim Montgomery after Game 4. “We’re getting a little puck luck, but you get puck luck when you play the right way in playoff hockey.”
The Blues defense has recorded 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) this postseason, which is most in the NHL. That follows up an impressive regular season from the blueliners as their 46 goals shared third in the League and was the team’s highest total since 2018-19.
Five of the team’s six defensemen recorded points in Game 4, including goals from Justin Faulk and Tyler Tucker.
Tucker played 17:05, his most ice time in the playoffs, before sustaining an injury late in the game. He is considered day-to-day but will not be available for Game 5. He is expected to be replaced by Ryan Suter, a veteran of 1,526 regular-season and 135 playoff games.
Despite the change in personnel, the game plan will remain the same.
“That’s when we’re at our best is when we’re connected as five-man units,” said forward Jake Neighbours, who had three points (one goal, two assists) on Sunday. “Our D the last two games have been phenomenal, breaking pucks out with their feet and obviously in the o-zone shooting lots of pucks… They’ve done a great job of being shot-ready and putting themselves in positions to get those shots off and get them through.”
The Blues have now won 14 consecutive home games dating back to the regular season (Feb. 23). But they’ll need to bring some of that magic on the road if they hope to earn a series victory. They’re headed back to Winnipeg for Game 5 and, if necessary, Game 7.
“It’s been a tight series. It’s going to be a tough Game 5,” said captain Brayden Schenn. “We just rely on one another to go out there and do your job and that’s been giving us results for a couple months now.”
SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Jets 5, Blues 3
Game 2: Jets 2, Blues 1
Game 3: Blues 7, Jets 2
Game 4: Blues 5, Jets 1
Game 5: Wednesday, April 30 at 8:30 p.m. CT
Game 6: Friday, May 2 (Time TBD) | Tickets
Game 7∗: Sunday, May 4 (Time TBD)
*if necessary
NOTEWORTHY STAT
Jake Neighbours and Tyler Tucker are the first set of Blues teammates to each score their first career playoff goal in the same game since 2014. Neighbours also added two assists, becoming the fourth Blue to record three points in a playoff game at age 23 or younger (Jochen Hecht in 2000, Vladimir Tarasenko in 2015 and Robby Fabbri in 2016).
THEY SAID IT
“It’s a two-out-of-three now. Both teams won on home ice. Now we’ve got to go to Winnipeg and we’ve got to try to win one on the road.” – St. Louis Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery
BLUES BASHES
Watch road playoffs games with fellow fans at Blues Bashes, presented by Bud Light! Game 5 Blues Bash locations are Ballpark Village and Hotshots St. Charles. The party starts one hour prior to the scheduled puck drop of all road games in the playoffs.
