Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Avalanche, Blue Jackets host Game 3s

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily in-depth look at the 2019 NHL playoffs. There was one Game 3 on Monday and there are two Game 3s on the schedule for Tuesday.

On Tap

There are two Game 3s on the schedule Tuesday:
: The last time the Blue Jackets played at Nationwide Arena they were completing their first-round sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Now, playing the first second-round home game in their history, they look to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Second Round following their 3-2 double-overtime win in Game 2 on Saturday.
: How dangerous are the Avalanche at Pepsi Center where they've won eight straight games? Ask the Calgary Flames, who were outscored 9-4 in two losses in Denver in the first round. The Sharks are looking to bounce back after their four-game postseason winning streak ended in Game 2 with a 4-3 loss that evened the best-of-7 Western Conference Second Round 1-1.

About last night

Here is what happened on Day 20 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
St. Louis Blues 4, Dallas Stars 3: Forward Pat Maroon scored the tiebreaking goal with 1:38 remaining and the St. Louis Blues took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 Western Conference Second Round. Forward Jaden Schwartz, center Tyler Bozak and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo also scored for the Blues, who are 4-0 on the road during this postseason. St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington made 28 saves. Game 4 is at American Airlines Center (9:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS) on Wednesday.

What we learned

Here are some takeaways from Day 20 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs:

Blues coach pushes right buttons

Craig Berube was not satisfied with the Blues' total of five goals in the first two games against the Stars. With the series tied 1-1, Berube replaced forward David Perron with Schwartz on the first line alongside center Ryan O'Reilly and forward Vladimir Tarasenko in Game 3. Berube's decision paid instant dividends when Schwartz scored 87 seconds after the opening face-off. A coach's ability to have his finger on the pulse of his team can be a difference-maker at playoff time. It was all of that for Blues on Monday.

Stars show character

The Stars rallied from being down a goal three times in Game 3 to pull even, but were unable to take to lead. Even if moral victories get you no closer to the Stanley Cup, Dallas will take something from its ability to come back against a good defensive team and quality goalie. After the defeat, Dallas center Tyler Seguin and defenseman Ben Lovejoy each spoke about how the Stars responded to a Game 3 loss to the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference First Round with their best effort of the playoffs in Game 4. That will be a rallying point for Dallas.

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