BOSTON – The St Louis Blues held a 2-0 lead early in the second period of Game 1 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Monday night, but they could not hold off the Boston Bruins who scored four unanswered goals in a 4-2 win.
The Bruins now take a 1-0 series lead into Game 2 Wednesday night in Boston.
Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko struck for the Blues who were up despite smothering defense form the Bruins.
St Louis had only 20 shots on goal for the game.
“We just know how to check. We’ve done it to (the) Carolina [Hurricanes], Toronto [Maple Leafs], Columbus [Blue Jackets] (in the first three rounds). We know how to play winning hockey when we need to,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said.
Tuukka Rask made 18 saves to get the win.
“I think our pace was really set by our defensemen,” Bruins defenseman Torey Krug said. “It was sluggish in the first. The second period, we were able to just get around pucks and move it north very quickly, and then our forwards weren’t trying to do any east-to-west plays. They were just chipping it behind their D and going to work. When our pace is like that, it’s tough for a team to hang with us.”
Connor Clifton and Charlie McAvoy rallied Boston in the second period with goals to tie the game, 2-2.
“I think come the second period, I think we recovered our game a little bit, we got a little bit more physical and we started moving our feet and moving the puck,” Boston forward Marcus Johansson said. “And we ended up spending more time in their end and didn’t give them as much room. And I think that’s kind of when we started taking the game over, and from that point I think we had control for most of it.”
Sean Kuraly struck for the game-winner at 5:21 of the third period to send the Bruins’ faithful into a another decibel level.
“I think our pace was really set by our defensemen,” Bruins defenseman Torey Krug said. “It was sluggish in the first. The second period, we were able to just get around pucks and move it north very quickly, and then our forwards weren’t trying to do any east-to-west plays. They were just chipping it behind their D and going to work. When our pace is like that, it’s tough for a team to hang with us.”
Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal to seal the win with 1:49 left on the clock.
This will be a game remembered for St Louis taking a series of silly penalties that gave the Bruins a chance to get back in a game, the Blues were controlling.
Click here for Game 1 Highlights
Jordan Binnington made 35 saves in the loss.
“When that first goal went in, they got some momentum and they had a big push there,” Binnington said. “We held it to a tie game going into the third, and it wasn’t the outcome we wanted. But it was good to feel it out, and we’ll be right back at them for Game 2.
“You could feel them coming, and they were coming hard and the rink was buzzing.”
The Blues were whistled five times and the Bruins struck once with the extra man.
“It takes a lot of guys out of the game and that burns up a lot of energy from other guys that are killing all the time,” Berube said. “It’s too much. We’ve got to be better there. We’ve got to be more disciplined.”
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