St. Louis Blues players Cam Fowler (17) and Jordan Binnington (50) celebrate their victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4 of the NHL's first-round playoff series on Sunday, April 27, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Connor Hamilton)
The St. Louis Blues came out strong on Sunday, defeating the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 to level their playoff series at 2-2. The Blues’ performance was driven by standout performances from Brayden Schenn, Tyler Tucker, Justin Faulk, Robert Thomas, and Jake Neighbours. Schenn, Tucker, and Faulk each found the back of the net in the second period, giving the Blues a commanding 3-1 lead. The final period saw Thomas and Neighbours add their names to the scoresheet, solidifying the Blues' dominant victory.
In a standout performance, Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made 30 saves, anchoring the team’s defensive effort. The win extended St. Louis’s remarkable home-game winning streak to 14, including both regular-season and playoff games, a streak that dates back to February 23rd.
The game started with the Jets drawing first blood. Kyle Connor opened the scoring for Winnipeg with a goal at 6:02 in the first period, giving the Jets a 1-0 lead. However, the Blues quickly responded with Neighbours’ deflection goal, which came just 23 seconds before the first intermission. The goal was Neighbours’ first career playoff score, and it tied the game at 1-1.
The second period saw the Blues take control. Tucker scored his first career playoff goal at 10:56, firing a slap shot from the point to give the Blues a 2-1 lead. Tucker’s goal came just moments after a penalty to Jets captain Adam Lowry had expired, a situation that allowed the Blues to capitalize. The Jets were unable to regroup quickly, and Schenn increased the lead to 3-1 at 17:23. Schenn’s goal came just five seconds after Lowry returned to the ice, as he wristed the puck over Hellebuyck in the crease. The Blues had the momentum and were clearly in control.
The third period saw the Jets try to find a way back into the game, but their efforts were stymied early. Thomas scored his second goal of the playoffs just 2:01 into the period, giving the Blues a 4-1 advantage and effectively sealing the victory. Connor Hellebuyck, who had struggled throughout the game, was pulled after allowing Thomas’s goal. Hellebuyck has now allowed four or more goals in 10 of his last 13 playoff appearances, which has raised concerns about his performance in the postseason.
In relief of Hellebuyck, backup goaltender Eric Comrie made five saves but could not prevent the Jets from falling further behind. Despite a strong effort from the Jets’ offence, including some strong chances from the likes of Connor, the Blues' defence held firm.
As the game wound down, Neighbours added an empty-net goal to make it 5-1, capping off the Blues’ dominant win. This victory has injected life into their playoff hopes, with the series now tied at 2-all, heading into Game 5.
Both teams now look ahead to Game 5, where the series will shift to Winnipeg. With the series tied, both sides will be eager to take control and push toward advancing in the playoffs.
