St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo scored the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the NHL Stanley Cup finals Wednesday evening, marking an almost-improbable turnaround from earlier in the season when the team was ranked last.
What Happened
The Blues defeated of the top contenders, the Winnipeg Jets, in the first round of the 2018-2019 NHL playoffs. In the second round, the Blues edged the Dallas Stars in the second overtime period of game seven.
To reach the finals, the Blues handily defeated the San Jose Sharks by a combined score of 10-1 in the last two games of the series.
Ryan O'Reilly received the Conn Smythe trophy, which is given to the most valuable player in the playoffs. Twenty-five-year goaltender Jordan Binnington started the season as the fourth goalie and after Wednesday's win is the first rookie in history to win all 16 playoff games.
Veteran defenseman Jay Bouwmeester hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup over his head after 16 years in the league.
Why It's Notable
The Blues are the first time in professional sports history to win a championship after ranking last in the standings after one-quarter of a season. Despite a handful of notable additions to the roster, including O'Reilly, Tyler Bozak, and David Perron, the team was dead last in the league at the December break.
Wednesday's Stanley Cup win also marks the franchise's first ever win in its first return to the Finals since 1970.
The Blues joined the NHL in 1967.
Related Links:
The Esports ETF Continues To Benefit From Shifting Video Game Industry
NHL Alumni Association Partners With Canopy Growth For Cannabinoid Research
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
