SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2019

STANLEY CUP FINAL Blues’ kill tweaks lead to verge of Cup

STEPHEN WHYNO Getting the power play on track Associated Press is key to staving off elimination. Something is missing from the And it’s not just about scoring Boston power play. because the power play fuels the The uninterrupted puck move- Bruins’ 5-on-5 offense, and even ment and cross-ice passes to a that’s not happening right now. wide open David Pastrnak aren’t The frustration is seeping through. there anymore. Torey Krug isn’t “Any time you don’t get chances getting the chance to fire away on the power play, you’re going to from the top. Patrice Bergeron get frustrated,” Blues captain Alex isn’t dominating between the fa- Pietrangelo said. “So we’re just ceoff circles like before. doing our job.” Boston opened a 2-1 lead in the St. Louis has done a much bet- Final helped in a big ter job at maintaining defensive way by its lethal power play. Since assignments on the penalty kill then, the St. Louis Blues have shut after inexplicably leaving skill out the most effective power play players wide open in Game 3. The unit since the 1980s New York Is- Blues, seemingly dumbfounded landers and shut down the Bruins’ by Boston’s power play that night, best players, too. The Blues power have begun to turn the tide on fa- play has been nothing special, but ceoffs on special teams and fig- their penalty kill is a major reason ured out how to create their own why St. Louis has won two straight penalty-killing momentum. to take a 3-2 lead with a chance to “Just staying aggressive,” Pi- claim the first NHL championship etrangelo said. “That’s all. Staying in franchise history at home Sun- CHARLES KRUPA, ASSOCIATED PRESS aggressive and we’re getting the day night. Blues teammates congratulate goaltender Jordan Binnington after winning Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on puck down when we have a chance St. Louis has gone from being Thursday in Boston. to clear.” the playoffs’ least-penalized team Closing down the Bruins power through three rounds to some- like that. We’re making it harder Binnington has shown serious more point shots,” Cassidy said. play has compensated for a se- thing else entirely. The Blues are on them and keeping them on resolve since then. Blues coach “Little more low-to-high driven ries-long parade to the penalty borderline undisciplined, relying the outside. We just need to keep Craig Berube also has made ad- net-on-net, whereas now I think box by the Blues. If it continues, on targeted toughness to beat up doing the same thing and we’re justments to Boston coach Bruce you see a lot more power plays, St. Louis could be hosting its first the Bruins. It’s working. The Blues probably going to be fine if we do Cassidy’s special teams. certainly always the half wall is a professional sports championship have made five successful penalty that.” The Bruins power play had been big thing. But I would guess more parade since baseball’s Cardinals kills to neutralize Boston’s most Not just fine. They could be converting more than 30% — a net-front tips, rebounds back won the World Series in 2011. valuable weapon since allowing Stanley Cup champions if this clip that could’ve been the sec- then. Now it’s more one-timer, “We’ve got a big job ahead of six power-play goals early in the keeps up. ond-highest all-time for a Cup seam passes.” us,” Berube said. “I try to keep ev- Final and 4-for-4 on four shots Game 3 was such an eye-opener champion — and was drawing Krug considers Cassidy a pow- erything in perspective and calm in Game 3. of how good Boston’s power play is comparisons to the Islanders’ er-play mastermind, and that will and cool as much as I can. It’s “We’re staying tight to each that many wondered if the Bruins early 1980s dynasty that featured be tested in preparations for Game hard. And it’s hard for the play- other,” Blues penalty killer Oskar were going to steamroll the Blues Mike Bossy, , Clark 6 in St. Louis with the Bruins fac- ers, too, but it’s important that Sundqvist said. “We’re not letting and win the series in five games. Gillies and . ing elimination for the first time we keep our heads and keep level them pass through the seams and But Sundqvist was suspended “Back then it was more drop- since Game 7 of the first round headed knowing we’ve got a big shoot from the top and things that game and goaltender Jordan off, backdoor, overload ... a lot against Toronto. job ahead of us for Game 6.”

AROUND THE NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL Chara plays through a metal detector. ferent from teammates with other 2-1 on Thursday night to take a 3-2 “Pain is temporary and pride is injuries. He played 16:42 in Boston’s series lead in the Stanley Cup Final. jaw-dropping pain forever,” Jeremy Roenick, who played Game 5 loss that left the Bruins a The potential clincher is Sunday with a broken jaw in the playoffs 20 game from elimination. night in St. Louis. Series best-of-seven; BOSTON — Zdeno Chara re- years ago, said. “They’ll remember KMOV-TV reports that online x-if necessary sembled Batman villain Bane with you for what you did. The pain is go- ticket prices spiked sharply after his full face shield when he played ing to go away, and you’re going to Ticket prices soar Game 5. The cheapest seats at one ST. LOUIS 3, BOSTON 2 Thursday night, 48 hours after the forget that you even had that pain.” online site were selling Friday after- All games 6 p.m. for possible clincher Game 1: Boston 4, St. Louis 2 Boston captain took a puck square Chara still is unable to talk much noon for about $2,000. Expensive Game 2: St. Louis 3, Bos. 2, OT to the face. The same thing hap- after taking the puck off the stick of ST. LOUIS — The Blues are one win seats are going for more than $8,000. Game 3: Boston 7, St. Louis 2 pened to Vince Dunn, and he has so the Blues’ Brayden Schenn on Mon- away from the Stanley Cup champi- It’s no wonder. The Blues have Game 4: St. Louis 4, Boston 2 many wires in his mouth during the day night. Through the Bruins, Chara onship, and fans apparently are will- been in existence since 1967 and Game 5: St. Louis 2, Boston 1 Stanley Cup Final that the St. Louis said he didn’t think about making it ing to pay big money to see it. never have won the Stanley Cup. Sunday: at St. Louis defenseman probably would set off worse or consider himself any dif- The Blues beat the — Wire reports x-Wednesday: at Boston