Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Thursday 23 May 2019
Blues beat Sharks, march on to Stanley Cup Final

Pietrangelo for his first goal
in 14 games.
Bozak scored on a feed
from Perron in the third pe-
riod for a 4-1 lead.
Binnington improved to
12-7 with his second straight
strong effort. He made 21
saves in a 5-0 win in Game
4 on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Binnington
stopped Evander Kane
on the doorstep midway
through the third. He also
denied Logan Couture on
a breakaway later in the
period.
"It's excitement and relief,"
Binnington said. "We put
in all the work. It's pretty
special. The final minutes,
counting down and how
loud it was in the rink, it was
a special moment."
The Sharks took a 2-1 lead
in the series, but were out-
scored 12-2 in losing the fi-
nal three games.
"I think the two hardest,
heaviest teams are in the fi-
nal," San Jose coach Peter
DeBoer said. "There wasn't
any room out there. And
when there was — Binning-
ton made some saves."
Members of the St. Louis Blues celebrate after defeating the San Jose Sharks 5-1 in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Couture had four of the
Conference final series Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in St. Louis. Sharks' 26 shots on goal.
Associated Press "When you lose this oppor-
tunity and it gets snatched
By STEVE OVERBEY utive games to advance to several months of disap- tion games this postsea- away from you it's very
Associated Press the franchise's first Cup Final pointing play. son. Martin Jones made 14 hard to take," Couture said.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. since 1970. That series also "We were trying to get on stops. "You've got to get over it."
Louis Blues are marching pitted the Blues against the the right track," Berube St. Louis grabbed control Former Blues players Bob
into the Stanley Cup Final Bruins. said. "Once we got going with a fast start. Plager, Brett Hull, Chris
for the first time in decades. Game 1 is Monday night in in January and February, Perron tipped in Sammy Pronger and Al MacInnis
Pretty sweet moment for Boston. I knew we had a good Blais' shot just 92 seconds were in attendance along
Vladimir Tarasenko and Co. Laura Branigan's "Gloria" hockey team. Once you into the game. Tarasenko with numerous other former
David Perron had a goal blared over the speakers at get into the playoffs any- made it 2-0 with a well- players. Plager was in tears
and an assist, Jordan Bin- the Blues' home arena af- thing can happen — and placed wrist shot at 16:16. in the locker room after the
nington picked up his fran- ter the latest victory on an it did." Tarasenko got his eighth win.
chise-record 12th playoff improbable run from last in Blues defenseman Colton goal of the postseason
win and the Blues eliminat- the NHL Jan. 3 to one of the Parayko said it was a mat- just seven seconds after NOTES: St. Louis went 0-12
ed the San Jose Sharks with last two teams standing. ter of confidence. San Jose forward Barclay in its three previous Stan-
a 5-1 win in Game 6 of the The turnaround came af- "We all bought in and even- Goodrow was sent off for ley Cup appearances. ...
Western Conference final ter Craig Berube replaced tually we figured out just tripping. The team that scored first
Tuesday night. Mike Yeo as coach in No- how good we can be," he Gambrell converted a won all six games. ... Ref-
Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn vember and Binnington said. "It's a tight-knit group. breakaway along the right eree Wes McCauley left in
and Tyler Bozak also scored took over as the starting But that adversity, it made wing 6:40 into the second the first period with a low-
for St. Louis, which will face goaltender in January. us work harder for each period. Joonas Donskoi er-body injury. He was re-
the Boston Bruins for the "We always had the tal- other." set up the play with a long placed by alternate Gord
championship. Ivan Barba- ent," said Doug Armstrong, San Jose played without stretch pass. Dwyer. ... St. Louis D Vince
shev got an empty-netter the general manager and injured forwards Joe Pav- Gambrell's goal came Dunn missed his third con-
with 2:15 left, Ryan O'Reilly president of hockey opera- elski and Tomas Hertl and just seconds after Jones secutive game with an
had three assists and Bin- tions for the Blues. "But we defenseman Erik Karlsson. stopped Pat Maroon from upper-body injury. He took
nington stopped 25 shots. were finding ways to lose Injury attrition played a role close range. It also stopped a puck to the mouth in the
"We always believed we games instead of winning for the Sharks, who played the Sharks' scoring drought first period of Game 3. ... St.
could do this," said Tarasen- them. They turned it around seven games in each of at 99 minutes, 32 seconds. Louis pitcher Adam Wain-
ko, who had a point in ev- and just haven't stopping the first two rounds. Schenn pushed the lead wright and catcher Yadier
ery game of the series. "But going." Dylan Gambrell scored to 3-1 with a power-play Molina attended the game
it's still an unbelievable feel- Berube gave his team credit his first career goal for San goal 12:47 into the sec- after the Cardinals' match-
ing." for working its way through Jose, which lost for the ond. He pounced on the up with Kansas City was
St. Louis won three consec- a coaching change and first time in five elimina- rebound of a shot by Alex rained out.q