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Bruins vs. Blues: Game 4 Stats and NHL Final 2019 Game 5 Schedule, Odds
June 4, 2019
The 2019 Stanley Cup Final has been a series of firsts for the St. Louis Blues.
Monday's Game 4 victory over the Boston Bruins marked the first time they won a Stanley Cup Final game in their home arena.
In Game 2, the Blues won their first-ever Stanley Cup Final game after being swept in each of their three previous appearances from 1968-70.
St. Louis gained the advantage in Game 4 in the first minute courtesy of a goal by Ryan O'Reilly. It was able to pull away in the third period to level the series at two games apiece, with Game 5 at TD Garden on Thursday.
Game 5 Information
Date: Thursday, June 6
Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports app
Odds (via OddsChecker): Boston (-142; bet $142 to win $100), St. Louis (+130; bet $100 to win $130)
Game 4 Stats
The Blues needed just 43 seconds to get on the scoreboard in Game 4.
O'Reilly's first-period goal was St. Louis' 12th tally in the first two minutes of a period in these playoffs, tying a postseason record, per ESPN Stats & Info:
According to Stats.com, the Blues also tied the record for most goals in the first minute of a postseason with three:
Boston answered O'Reilly's goal with a tally off the stick of Charlie Coyle, who leads the team with three goals in the series.
Coyle became the third player in Bruins history, and the first since Johnny Bucyk 49 years ago, to record a three-game goal streak in the Stanley Cup Final, per NHL Public Relations:
NHL Public Relations @PR_NHL@NHLBruins A Massachusetts native, @CharlieCoyle_3 is the third player in @NHLBruins history to post a three-game goal streak in the #StanleyCup Final - and first to do so since Johnny Bucyk scored in all four games against St. Louis 49 years ago. #NHLStats https://t.co/wU4JCICdOk
The midseason trade acquisition has found his scoring touch in the postseason with nine goals, which is a steep progression from his regular-season totals, as Sportsnet's Chris Johnston noted:
St. Louis took the lead into the first intermission thanks to Vladimir Tarasenko's 11th goal of the postseason.
Tarasenko needs two more goals this series to match Brett Hull's franchise single-postseason scoring record, per NHL PR:
NHL Public Relations @PR_NHLVladimir Tarasenko scored his 11th goal of the 2019 #StanleyCup Playoffs. @tara9191 now needs: ▪ 2 goals to tie Brett Hull (13, 1990) for the single-postseason franchise record ▪ 2 goals to tie Bernie Federko (35) for 2nd-most total playoff goals in franchise history #NHLStats https://t.co/mz8Ck9DSmT
Boston's final goal of the night came from an unexpected source, as Brandon Carlo beat Jordan Binnington for a short-handed strike.
Carlo became the 20th postseason scorer for the Bruins, which is a franchise record, per Boston Sports Journal's Conor Ryan:
The 22-year-old also made a bit of history with his goal, as he became the first defenseman since Scott Niedermayer in 2000 to score a short-handed goal in the Stanley Cup Final, per NHL PR:
NHL Public Relations @PR_NHLBrandon Carlo scored the first shorthanded goal by a defenseman in the #StanleyCup Final in 19 years (Scott Niedermayer: Game 6 of 2000 SCF). It was the 19th such goal by any NHL blueliner since 1933-34 when the League began tracking the stat. #NHLStats https://t.co/gnpx2vJGTg
An even quirkier stat about Carlo's goal: The Blues have conceded each of the last three short-handed goals scored in the postseason, per ESPN Stats & Info's Vin Masi:
O'Reilly put his name on the scoresheet again in the third period, as he netted the game-winning goal that was followed by a Brayden Schenn empty-net goal.
O'Reilly became the second Blues player in franchise history to score multiple goals in a single Stanley Cup Final game, per ESPN Stats & Info:
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfoThe Blues even the series at 2-2 with their first-ever home win in a Cup Final. Ryan O'Reilly had just 3 goals this postseason before scoring 2 tonight, including the 3rd period game-winner. He and Red Berenson (1968) are the only Blues with multi-goal games in a Cup Final. https://t.co/F1suMkRWu1
The 28-year-old, who was acquired from Buffalo in the offseason, recorded five shots. That was second-best among the Blues behind Tarasenko, who led all players with six shots.
St. Louis outshot Boston 38-23 and improved on taking the penalties that hurt it in Game 3 by only earning six penalty minutes, compared to Boston's eight.
However, neither team was successful on the power play, as they went a combined 0-of-5 with the man advantage.
Jordan Binnington, who gave up five goals in Game 3, came back strong for the Blues by making 21 saves, while Tuukka Rask was forced into 34 denials.
One of the stats that sticks out if you dig deeper into the box score is the eight minutes and 23 seconds spent on the ice by Zdeno Chara. The Bruins captain took a shot to the face and did not play a shift after that, despite returning to the bench in the third period.
The lack of consistent pressure on net and a possible replacement for Chara have to be figured out by the Bruins in order for them to hold serve on home ice in Game 5.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.