Pat Maroon scored 5:50 into the second overtime, lifting the St. Louis Blues to a 2-1 victory against the run of play. They advance to the Western Conference Final with the Game 7 Win.
The winner came after Tyler Bozak won an offensive-zone face-off, Maroon got the puck to Robert Thomas, whose shot from low in the right circle hit the post and deflected off the back of Stars goalie Ben Bishop‘s head, before Maroon tapped in the rebound.
Thomas (19 years, 309 days) became the first teenager in Blues history to get a point in Game 7.
Players from both sides had plenty of nice things to say about Bishop, who made a career-high 52 saves. Teammate Tyler Seguin said, “What a game by Bishop. He was incredible tonight. Really wish we could have got him one.”
Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo told media, “He played a heck of a game, Bishop played a heck of a series. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy all series. I don’t know what we ended up with, close to 60 (shots), but that’s a lot of rubber for him.”
The man himself spoke to the press postgame stating, “I guess the first word that comes to mind is frustrated.”, he added, “There was a good opportunity there and just a little frustrated right now, tough to end your season in OT….. But the guys did a good job and kind of have to look on it in a few days.”
Dallas came close a couple of times in each period of overtime through Jamie Benn, the captain almost scored on a wraparound for Dallas 4:19 into the second overtime after Colton Parayko‘s clearing attempt had to be saved by Jordan Binnington at the left post.
It’s the first time the Blues have advanced after trailing 3-2 in a series since the 1999 conference quarterfinals against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Mats Zuccarello scored for Dallas, who have lost two straight Game 7s to the Blues (2016 second round), and Vince Dunn scored the other for St. Louis, who advance to the conference final for the first time since 2016, when they lost in six games to the Sharks. Both goals came in the first period.
Blues rookie goalie Binnington, who made 29 saves, spoke of his team’s win, “Obviously, we had lots of shots and the puck was in their end a lot of the game (outshot Dallas 31-4 in second and third period), and as a goalie you just have to be patient and stay composed and just believe in your team,” adding “Pat Maroon came in huge.”
It wasn’t just the first overtime of their series, it was the first time in NHL history three or more Game 7s have gone to overtime in the same postseason; Washington Capitals v Carolina Hurricanes and San Jose Sharks v Vegas Golden Knights in the first round.
Had the Stars won, it would have given the New York Rangers their first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, but it remains a second-round pick from the Zuccarello trade of February 23.
The hosts, who won the final two games of the series, will play either the San Jose Sharks or Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals, with their game being played Wednesday, May 8 (9pm ET – NBCSN)
Up Next:
Stars – Eliminated
Blues – Face winner of Avalanche v Sharks in Western Conference Final (TBD)
ALL TIMES U.S. EASTERN
Artistry of Sport 
Great post 😁
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Thank you!
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