St. Louis Blues bounce back with Game 4 win, tie Stanley Cup Final

The St. Louis Blues successfully bounced back in Game 4 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final with a 4-2 over the Boston Bruins, tying the series at 2-2.

After a through domination by the Boston Bruins in Game 3, Game 4 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final was pivotal game for both sides. Would the Bruins put themselves in position to clinch the Stanley Cup on home ice, or would the Blues win their first ever Stanley Cup Final home game in franchise history and even the series up at 2-2?

In the end it was the St.Louis Blues who proved victorious in Game 4 with a 4-2 win, tying the series at 2-2 going back to Boston for Game 5.

Ryan O’Reilly brought Enterprise Center to it’s feet with his fourth goal of the playoff and first goal in 17 games, giving the Blues a 1-0 lead just 43 seconds into the game.

Charlie Coyle buried a rebound off a Zdeno Chara shot to tie the game at one, silencing the St. Louis crowd momentarily.

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Vladamir Tarasenko would put the Blues back ahead before the end of the first period, further solidifying his case to win the Conn Smythe if the Blues go on to win the Stanley Cup with his 11th goal of the postseason.

After surviving a swarm from the Blues that led to a powerplay, Brendan Carlo buried a shorthanded goal off a soft rebound given up by Jordan Binnington to tie the game at 2-2, seemingly swinging the game back in the Bruins favor.

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Halfway through the third period, O’Reilly would step up yet again and bury a rebound for his second goal of the game, giving St. Louis the lead again and eventually holding up as the game winner.

The Bruins would pull Tuukka Rask to try and tie the game, but Brayden Schenn would bury another goal into the empty net to put the game out of reach.

The Blues dominated this game for prolonged stretches of time, outshooting the Bruins 38-23 over the course of the game. If not for Rask continuing to be phenomenal for the Bruins, this game could’ve been worse, but he gave them plenty of chances to stay in it, and they couldn’t respond.

The key tonight for the Blues was that they were able to limit the penalties that were their demise in games one and three, and as a result were able to overcome the Bruins this time around for their first ever home win in the Stanley Cup Final in franchise history. Outside the one shorthanded goal against, this was one of the Blues most complete games of the postseason, and now find themselves two wins away from their first ever Stanley Cup. They’ve been the best road team in these playoffs, and they’ll need more of that in order to come back home for Game 6 with a chance to clinch the Stanley Cup.

For the Bruins, this was not their best showing and they probably know it. Without the Blues giving them more powerplays than they know what to do with, the Bruins have been pedestrian at 5 on 5 while the Blues have been outscoring them 9-6 at 5 on 5 play so far in the series. The Bruins top line hasn’t produced at even strength, and they’ll need to find their game without the powerplay if the Bruins are going to respond in Game 5.

Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final will take place on Thursday, June 6 at TD Garden in Boston. The Blues will look to take the lead for the first time this series and have the Stanley Cup in building on home ice for Game 6, while the Bruins will look to slow their momentum and put themselves one win away from the Stanley Cup.