DENVER (AP) – Tyler Bozak and the St. The Louis Blues experienced almost every emotion imaginable during a game-winning or season-ending game in which they fell behind by three goals.
Ultimately, they landed on this unlikely: exaltation.
Bozak scored 3:38 in overtime and the Blues avoided elimination in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals, overcoming a couple of disadvantages in the 5-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday night. .
A cross from the left flank by Darcy Kuemper almost resulted in the home team taking the lead, but the shot glanced harmlessly off the frame of the goal. Louis.
“It was an amazing hockey game,” Bozak said. “I’m sure everyone watching was thinking the same thing.”
Robert Thomas scored two goals, including a 56-second tie for the end, for a resilient blue team. It’s the Blues ’last draw goal when they face elimination, according to NHL Stats. Vladimir Tarasenko and Justin Faulk also scored, Nick Leddy made four assists and Pavel Buchnevich made two.
They never hesitated, even by 3-0 at the end of the second period and 4-3 at the end of the third.
“You have nothing to lose, you can throw everything away too,” Thomas said. “That was our mentality.”
A great save by keeper Nathan MacKinnon after 80 minutes kept the visitors in the game after struck from the left with a real cannonball. 3. He went from end to end, making a pass to the Blues defender Leddy with ingenious stick work and lifting a shot over goalkeeper Ville Husso to get a 4-3 lead. It was his second hat-trick in the postseason.
Hats touch the ice.
“It doesn’t matter,” MacKinnon said of his feat. “I’m looking for a victory.”
Thomas tied him up with Husso on the bench for an additional skater, setting the stage for Bozak, who played college hockey at the University of Denver.
Thinking about it, he didn’t play much in the third period stretch, with the Blues just three lines away. When he had his chance at OT, he made the most of it.
“There’s definitely no bad shot,” Bozak said. “So I just tried to get him through the traffic and he came in. So it’s great.”
Match 6 is Friday at St. Louis.
The Blues have recovered from a 3-1 disadvantage to win a series of playoffs twice in their history: 1999 against Phoenix and 1991 against Detroit.
They want to write another chapter.
“This team has come a long way this year in games, so they’re not giving up,” Blues coach Craig Berube said.
Captain Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Bowen Byram made two assists for the Avalanche, which was about to advance to the Western Conference final for the first time since 2002.
Instead, they have to wait and see. The second round proved to be a major obstacle for the avalanche. They have been eliminated at this stage in each of the last three post-seasons.
“ You’re awkward for three minutes and you keep going. As simple as that, “Landeskog said.” It’s playoff hockey. It’s not supposed to be easy. “
Husso made 30 stops for St. Louis. He took over in match 3 when Jordan Binnington was injured after a collision between Nazem Kadri and Blues defender Calle Rosen caused Kadri to crash into Binnington.
Kadri then received racist death threats on social media, leading to increased security to protect him. He responded to game 4 with a hat trick. On Wednesday, fans along the boards put up signs that said “Stand with Naz.”
Kuemper stopped 25 shots.
MacKinnon flew in the first period, made five shots and scored twice to give the Colorado a 2-0 lead. These were the first two goals in the series for MacKinnon, who has seven in the postseason.
The fast MacKinnon also had an assist to give him 82 playoff points of his career. He became the fourth player in franchise history with 80 or more postseason points, joining the company of Sakic (188), Peter Forsberg (159) and Peter Stastny (81).
After Landeskog made it 3-0 just over 4 minutes into the second period, Tarasenko scored his first goal of the series 10 and a half minutes later to propel the Blues.
“We’ve put a little bit on our heels,” said MacKinnon, whose team is 4-0 on the road in these playoffs. “We wanted it a lot, I guess. … Win the third one, go to the conference final, whatever. It’s a period. We have to keep our game, stay aggressive. That’s what we’re going to do.”