David Perron's second-period goal broke the deadlock and Jordan Binnington made 22 saves as the visiting St. Louis Blues beat the Dallas Stars 4-1 Sunday afternoon to force a Game 7 in their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
The deciding game will be Tuesday in St. Louis.
With the score tied 1-1, Perron netted the game-winning marker with 4:36 remaining in the second period. Perron was tied up by a defender at the doorstep when he redirected Oskar Sundqvist's crossing pass to put his team ahead for good.
A pair of goals 33 seconds apart before the midway point of the third period sealed the deal. First, Jaden Schwartz netted his team-high eighth goal of the postseason on a somewhat controversial play at 7:37. Stars goalie Ben Bishop took a high shot from Colton Parayko and was on the ice writhing in pain when Alex Steen fired a rebound that Schwartz deflected. Because the Stars didn't gain possession, the referees didn't blow the whistle.
Then Sammy Blais, who made his NHL playoff debut and played his first game since March 12, rounded out the scoring when he wired a top-corner slap shot while on a breakaway. Bishop, who made 16 saves in the game, gave way to Anton Khudobin the rest of the game.
The Blues have won five of six road games in the playoffs but have two wins in six home games.
The clubs traded first-period goals in what was a tight-checking affair.
St. Louis captain Alex Pietrangelo opened the scoring just 63 seconds from the drop of the puck, the much-needed start for the club facing elimination. After getting the puck, Pietrangelo moved from his point position to the middle of the ice, and his long wrist shot through the screen found the mark for his second goal of the playoffs.
But Tyler Seguin tied the game with a power-play goal at the 11:35 mark of the opening frame. Slick-skating defenseman John Klingberg drew two players to him, which opened up all kinds of space, and soon after Seguin one-timed a five-hole shot.
--Field Level Media
St. Louis | Dallas | |
Jaden Schwartz 2 | Points | Tyler Seguin 1 |
Jaden Schwartz 1 | Goals | Tyler Seguin 1 |
Jaden Schwartz 1 | Assists | Jamie Benn 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Tyler Seguin 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Jordan Binnington .957 | Save Percentage | Anton Khudobin 1.000 |
Jordan Binnington 22 | Saves | Ben Bishop 16 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
St. Louis | 25 | 4 | 0-4 | 2-3 | 6 | 21 |
Dallas | 23 | 1 | 1-3 | 4-4 | 8 | 34 |