April 30th Morning Skate

THREE HARD LAPS: QUICK HITS FROM MONDAY


* The Blues took a 2-1 series lead after surviving multiple Stars rallies in a third period that saw the clubs trade four goals in a 5:16 span.

* Jordan Binnington earned his 30th career win in his 39th start (regular season and playoffs combined) to match Frederik Andersen for fewest starts needed to reach the 30-win mark.

 * The Blue Jackets and Avalanche each put their respective home win streaks on the line when they host the Bruins and Sharks in their Game 3 matchups.


BLUES SURVIVE FRANTIC THIRD PERIOD, ESCAPE WITH GAME 3 WIN

The Blues entered the third period with a 2-1 lead in search of their fourth straight road victory of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but had to survive a wild final frame that saw both teams trade four goals over a 5:16 span - including two game-tying goals by the Stars - before Patrick Maroon’s game-winning marker with 1:38 remaining in regulation propelled St. Louis to a 2-1 series lead.


* Maroon’s game-winning tally marked the fourth different lead for the Blues in Game 3. They are the second team this postseason to win a game in which they had four separate leads, joining the Islanders, who also did so against the Penguins in Game 1 of their First Round series. The Blues’ four separate leads matched their highest such total in a playoff win, last accomplished in Game 3 of the 1990 Division Finals.

The Blues entered the third period with a 2-1 lead in search of their fourth straight road victory of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but had to survive a wild final frame that saw both teams trade four goals over a 5:16 span - including two game-tying goals by the Stars - before Patrick Maroon’s game-winning marker with 1:38 remaining in regulation propelled St. Louis to a 2-1 series lead.


* Maroon’s game-winning tally marked the fourth different lead for the Blues in Game 3. They are the second team this postseason to win a game in which they had four separate leads, joining the Islanders, who also did so against the Penguins in Game 1 of their First Round series. The Blues’ four separate leads matched their highest such total in a playoff win, last accomplished in Game 3 of the 1990 Division Finals.

* The Blues - who have won each of their first four road contests of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs (also Games 1,2 and 5 of R1 at WPG) - matched the franchise record for longest road win streak in a single postseason originally set in 1969. In fact, their four victories as visitors in 2019 trails only 2016 (6) for the most in a single playoff year in franchise history.

* Jordan Binnington (28 saves) earned his 30th career win in his 39th start (regular season and playoffs combined). He matched the League record for fewest starts needed to reach 30 career NHL wins (39 GS).

* Jaden Schwartz opened the scoring to boost his 2019 postseason totals to 6-2—8 and move into a tie with Mark Stone (6-6—12), Tomas Hertl (6-4—10) and Logan Couture (6-3—9) for the playoff lead in goals. Each of his six goals have come in the Blues’ last five contests. Only three players in Blues franchise history have tallied more in a span of five playoff games: Brett Hull (7 in 1990 and 1991), Joe Mullen (7 in 1982) and Brian Sutter (7 in 1982).


* When the Blues win Game 3 after splitting the first two games in a best-of-seven matchup, they own an all-time series record of 7-7. Overall, when a best-of-seven series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 owns an all-time series record of 213-103 (67.4%) – including a 1-3 mark in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

SNEAK PEEK AT TUESDAY’S ACTION

A pair of deadlocked series switch locations on Tuesday when the Bruins visit the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena and the Avalanche host the Sharks at Pepsi Center. Columbus will host a postseason game past the opening round for the first time in franchise history, while Colorado will do so for the first time in 11 years.

* Columbus returns to Nationwide Arena for the first time since its historic sweep of Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay. The Blue Jackets enter Tuesday’s contest with wins in seven of their last eight home games, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Bruins on April 2 (6-2 L).

* Boston and Columbus have required overtime in each of the first two games of the Second Round. Only six series in NHL history have began with at least three straight OT games: TOR-BOS in the 1933 Semifinals (Games 1-3), TOR-MTL in the 1951 Stanley Cup Final (Games 1-5), COL-MIN in the 2008 Conference Quarterfinals (Games 1-3), PHX-CHI in the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals (Games 1-5), TOR-WSH in the 2017 First Round (Games 1-3) and CBJ-WSH in the 2018 First Round (Games 1-3).

* Colorado won both home games in the First Round against Calgary and have won 11 of its last 13 at Pepsi Center overall, including eight consecutive victories, while outscoring opponents 32-15 over that span (including shootout-deciding goals). A pair of Avalanche skaters enter the contest on six-game point streaks: Mikko Rantanen (5-6—11) and Nathan MacKinnon (4-7—11). The last Colorado skater to record a playoff point streak longer than six games was Peter Forsberg in 2004 (4-6—10 in 7 GP).

* Sharks defenseman Brent Burns, who is tied for second in playoff scoring (4-7—11 in 9 GP), has collected 3-4—7 in the opening two games of the Second Round (1-3—4 in Game 1 and 2-1—3 in Game 2). Only two defensemen in Stanley Cup Playoffs history have recorded three or more points in three consecutive games: Denis Potvin in 1981 (5-6—11 in 3 GP) and Paul Coffey in 1985 (3-7—10 in 3 GP).