ST. LOUIS — This game was a study in perseverance. Down 3-0 before they could break a sweat, the Blues chipped away to force overtime against the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
But Jordan Binnington recovered from a horrendous start. He was a rock in extra time, stopping all three Tampa Bay shots in overtime and all three Lightning shootout attempts.
Captain Ryan O’Reilly, who has said on more than once occasion that his hands weren’t working after he returned from COVID, scored the game winner — with the only shootout goal by either team in a 4-3 Blues victory at Enterprise Center.
