OVERVIEW
It all comes down to Game 7.
After six hard-fought games to open their first-round playoff series, the St. Louis Blues (3-3) and Winnipeg Jets (3-3) will play one more to decide their fates. The winner advances to Round 2, the loser goes home.
This will be the first time these two clubs have met in a Game 7. It will be a learning experience for many of the young Blues, who will look to their veteran teammates to lead the way on and off the ice.
"Every time you go through it, the more grateful you are for the opportunity," said Head Coach Jim Montgomery, who will coach his fourth Game 7 on Sunday. "The first time you're going through it, you're just really excited. I think the experience gives you the knowledge of what to expect, when to expect it, how to handle the peaks and the valleys that are going to naturally happen. Not only within the game but between the days leading up to the game."
The Blues hold a 10-8 record in Game 7s in franchise history, including 5-6 on the road. However the team has won their last four instances, including two away from home. Overall, St. Louis has 11 skaters who have appeared in at least one Game 7, posting a combined record of 20-16.
Two current Blues have never lost a Game 7 in their NHL careers - defenseman Colton Parayko (4-0) and goaltender Jordan Binnington (2-0). Both were important parts of the 2019 Stanley Cup roster and in helping Team Canada capture gold at this year's 4 Nations Face-Off.
The team will lean heavily on these two veterans, particularly Binnington in net. In two career Game 7s, Binnington has an 0.82 goals-against average and .968 save percentage. In the 4 Nations championship game, he stopped 31 shots in his team's 3-2 overtime win.
"The two [things] that come to mind right away is how calm he is and proven winner," Montgomery said about the goaltender. "He's done it. He's been there. He knows how to not only get himself in the right zone but also how to give confidence to his team in front of him."
While the Blues are going in as underdogs, they're relishing the challenge. And there is some recent history that is on their side.
St. Louis could become the fifth straight team to win a Game 7 against the Presidents' Trophy winners, with opposing teams holding a 7-3 record in Games 7s against the League's top team over the past 20 years.
"It's about seizing an opportunity for us," Montgomery said. "You're in Game 7 of playoffs. It's what we've all dreamed of that are in that organization, in that locker room together. These are the moments... It's an opportunity that we've earned, and now we've got to go seize it."
