Dallas Stars: Three Keys To Winning Game 7 Against St. Louis Blues

1. Dallas Must Win The Goaltending Battle

This one may seem obvious, but let’s unpack it for a minute.

When this series began almost two weeks ago, one of the top storylines to follow was the goaltending duel between Stars starter Ben Bishop and Blues starter Jordan Binnington.

Both had been instrumental in helping turn the season around for their respective teams and were the backbones of their clubs. Bishop, an NHL veteran and one of the most consistent goaltenders in the league, had reeled in a Vezina Trophy nomination for his efforts during the 2018-19 regular season. Binnington, on the other hand, turned in a historic rookie season after being called up in December and was named a Calder Trophy finalist for his performance.

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Goaltending defined whether the teams succeeded or failed during the regular season, and that’s what made the matchup so enticing as the second round started up.

And through six games, it hasn’t disappointed. The two goaltenders have battled it out and have served as a cornerstone in their team’s win or loss. Bishop owns a .909 save percentage and has allowed 16 goals through the six contests; Binnington, on the other hand, owns a .914 save percentage and has allowed 15 goals against.

Bishop had a rough showing in Games 1 and 3, which led to two Dallas losses. On the other hand, he put up impressive performances in Games 2 and 5 to help lead the Stars to big wins. Binnington played remarkable in Games 1 and 3, but struggled to keep his hot streak going in Games 2 and 4.

And now, both goaltenders will have one last shot at gaining the upper hand and punching their team’s ticket to the Western Conference Final. This is a battle that the Stars must win if they have any hope of winning the game overall.

Now, the numbers seem to be in running in their favor. For starters, this will be Binnington’s first time enduring a Game 7 setting. While he has been sturdy and solid for the Blues for the majority of the past five months, he’ll need to be at peak performance level if he wants to fulfill the requirements of a Game 7.

"“It’s a Game 7 and it’s do-or-die, but you kind of have to approach it the same way. You can’t get too high on it. You just have to go in and do what you do every single game and don’t change anything. Obviously, you have to play your game.” – Bishop on Game 7"

Meanwhile, Bishop is 2-0 in career Game 7s and has yet to surrender a goal. Both of those contests came in 2015 when he helped lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s stopped a perfect 53-53 shots in Game 7 action. On top of that, he’s got the experience factor of playing deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs working in his corner.

But that’s not to say that this battle will be easily won. Binnington has done a tremendous job at answering the bell and stepping up when the rest of the hockey world tries to count him out. Bishop also had a scare in Game 6 when a puck hit him in the collarbone and forced him to eventually leave the game, though he is fine and ready to play.

"“It’s a big advantage when your goaltender has been in these games before, has been to the Stanley Cup Final, and has had success in these kinds of games.” – Jim Montgomery on Ben Bishop"

The goaltending battle will be the biggest key in Tuesday’s contest. If the Dallas Stars can rattle Binnington and receive a strong performance from Bishop, they should have the power to grab a win. And if history says anything, Bishop should be ready to put together a strong effort.

It all depends on how much you trust history.

“We’ve got an opportunity to go up there and play a Game 7,” Bishop said before the team departed on Monday. “Obviously, we have to go up there and do our job.”