Winnipeg @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 12, 2019 ) St. Louis 4, Winnipeg 3

The St. Louis Blues came into the playoffs with momentum, and now they have history on their side as they head home for Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round series Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets. The Blues pulled off another road victory Friday, using two goals from center Oskar Sundqvist to upend the Jets 4-3 on Ryan O’Reilly’s game winner early in the third period to take a 2-0 series lead - a position that 87.3 percent of the time in NHL history results in a series victory.

“There’s no reason to get too high,” St. Louis interim coach Craig Berube told the media after Game 2, in which rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington came up big once again and forward Pat Maroon notched a goal. “You’ve got to stay ready and we’ve got to play even better than we played.” The Jets were in Game 2 thanks in large part to two huge power-play goals, but goaltender Connor Hellebuyck struggled in losing his sixth consecutive postseason start. Forward Patrik Laine scored for the second consecutive game and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien added two assists, but Winnipeg once again could not crack Binnington in the third period. “You have to win four games to win a series,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler told reporters afterward. “I’ve never met a team that won two to win a series. We’re alright.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CNBC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA2, FS Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE JETS: Center Mark Scheifele and Wheeler each finished with one goal and one assist, but Winnipeg could not build momentum in the final period after Scheifele’s power-play goal late in the second tied the game 3-3. Hellebuyck made 28 saves but gave up two soft goals, including O’Reilly’s floater from the right wing that snuck through 3:46 into the third. Byfuglien was moved back to the first power-play unit and contributed both of his assists with the man advantage, while Laine led the Jets with five shots on goal.

ABOUT THE BLUES: Sundqvist, who entered the postseason with 16 goals in 144 career regular-season games, scored the first two playoff goals of his career. Binnington became the second rookie goaltender in franchise history (Curtis Joseph, 1990) to win his first two career playoff starts, recording 26 saves overall and stopping 24-of-25 shots in 5-on-5 situations. St. Louis outshot the Jets 15-6 in the second period overall and held Winnipeg without a shot for 13:34 - a stretch during which the Blues scored twice to take a 3-2 lead.

OVERTIME

1. Winnipeg F Mathieu Perreault was scratched before Game 2 after suffering a non-disclosed injury during Friday’s morning skate and F Brandon Tanev replaced him in the lineup, finishing with one shot in 13:37 of ice time.

2. St. Louis has struggled on special teams in the series, going 0-for-7 on the power play while giving up two power-play goals in three chances during Game 2.

3. Blues F Vladimir Tarasenko is pointless through two games, but did lead St. Louis in Game 2 with six shots on goal.

PREDICTION: Blues 4, Jets 2