This game also featured the last matchup between the two goalies in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship in February. In that 4 Nations title game in Boston, it was Blues goalie Jordan Binnington and Canada besting Hellebuyck and the United States in overtime.
On Sunday, Hellebuyck, who struggled through most of this series and was pulled in all three away games, looked shaky early, giving up a goal just 1:10 into the game, and another at 7:16 of first. But after he allowed Radek Faksa to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead at 19:25 of the second period, he once again looked like the guy who has won the Vezina Trophy twice as the League’s top goalie and could win it again this season stopping the next 13 shots he faced.
It was a taxing game for all involved, but especially for five Jets defensemen, who had to log big minutes after Josh Morrissey left the game with a little more than seven minutes gone in the first period.
Pionk had 46:15 of ice time, the most in a game by a Jets player in their history. His previous postseason career high was 41:08 on April 22, 2023, when the Jets lost to the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 in double overtime in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round. Dylan Samberg played 44:00, nearly 20 minutes more than he had in his previous career high (24:30 in Game 2 against the Blues on April 21).
“I mean, to play this long of a game with five defensemen, it’s pretty incredible. So, hats off to those guys. They stuck with it. They battled,” Ehlers said. “As forwards, we tried to help out as much as possible with getting pucks out of our zone so they could get some quick changes. But those guys stuck with it, battled their (butts) off and stepped up.”
Sunday’s thriller was the epitome of what Game 7 is all about: nerves, pressure, big hits, bigger goals, incredible moments, deflation, elation and every other emotion in between. This one had all of it. As Blues coach Jim Montgomery met Arniel in the handshake line, the two friends commended each other on a series and Game 7 that provided it all.
“I just said congratulations and what an [unbelievable] series,” Montgomery said. “It was a physical series. I told him, the chess game we played as staffs, it was just fun to be a part of, and that’s what makes the NHL playoffs so great.”
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