Minnesota fell 5-1 in Recreation 6 of its first-round Stanley Cup playoff sequence in opposition to host St. Louis on Thursday, dropping the best-of-seven 4-2. The Blues advance for the primary time since 2019, once they received the franchise’s first-ever Stanley Cup. They are going to face the Western Convention’s No. 1 seed Colorado Avalanche within the second spherical.

The Wild haven’t superior within the playoffs since 2014-15, shedding within the first spherical every of the previous 5 occasions they certified.

Minnesota had been answerable for this sequence at first, holding a 2-1 lead over St. Louis after Recreation 3. The Wild went on to lose the subsequent three video games by a mixed rating of 15-5.

To attempt staving off elimination, Wild coach Dean Evanson turned from Marc-Andre Fleury to Cam Talbot in internet for Recreation 6. Fleury, who was acquired by Minnesota on the commerce deadline, performed effectively early on, however the reigning Vezina Trophy winner was significantly leaky in Recreation 4 and Recreation 5 (.875 SV%, 4.10 GAA).

Talbot hadn’t recorded a regular-season loss since March 1 however was nonetheless seated behind Fleury to start out the playoffs. Thursday marked Talbot’s first recreation motion since April 28.

St. Louis took benefit and challenged Talbot out of the gate. Nick Leddy put the Blues up 1-0 within the first and St. Louis piled on in within the second with Ryan O’Reilly, Tyler Bozak and Vladimir Tarasenko scoring in a span of simply over 9 minutes.

“It was a tricky, powerful battle,” Bozak stated. “That is an excellent group over there. It is form of a disgrace we performed within the first spherical of the playoffs. It was two of the highest groups within the West and so they deserve quite a lot of credit score for the season that they had.”

Matt Dumba recorded the one Minnesota purpose early within the third interval however the Wild by no means gained any extra traction. Colton Parayko finally sealed the deal for St. Louis with an empty-net purpose.

Talbot completed with 22 saves and an .846 SV%.

“This is without doubt one of the most particular teams I have been part of,” Talbot stated. “We’re actually constructing one thing right here. So, as a lot as this hurts proper now, I am happy with the blokes, happy with the best way we battled all season lengthy.”

If Minnesota waited too lengthy to orchestrate its goalie change, St. Louis definitely didn’t. When the Wild took its 2-1 lead, Blues’ coach Craig Berube made the swap from Ville Husso to Jordan Binnington within the crease. Binnington had not received a postseason begin (0-9) since St. Louis clinched the Cup in 2019 however his 28-save efficiency helped safe the Blues’ Recreation 4 win and gave the group new life.

“It is simply his demeanor, , he loves this type of stuff,” Blues coach Craig Berube stated.

Binnington turned apart 25 pictures in Recreation 6 and allowed solely 5 objectives in three video games to push the Blues on to the subsequent spherical.

“We had a great first interval and form of weathered the storm,” Binnington stated. “They got here out exhausting and so they have been taking part in determined and I feel we matched that after which we got here out within the second interval and performed actually exhausting.”

As Binnington constantly slammed the door, Minnesota’s offense simply saved drying up. Outdoors of Kirill Kaprizov — who registered a team-leading 7 objectives and eight factors within the sequence — and Joel Eriksson Ek (three objectives, 5 factors), few of the Wild’s different forwards had a lot impression. St. Louis generated way more balanced scoring, with a number of gamers scoring three of extra objectives within the sequence.

“There are quite a lot of feelings coming dwelling and the constructing was electrical and, yeah, all people was form of caught watching a bit and clearly Binner did an incredible job of shutting the door there early after which Ledds makes an amazing play and an amazing purpose,” O’Reilly stated. “That simply form of helped us form of cool down and begin , constructing our recreation.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.