ST. LOUIS — Sunday's Game 4 of the Blues' first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild wasn't technically a must-win, but it sure felt like it. The Blues hung on for a 5-2 win in Game 4 on Sunday evening at Enterprise Center.
Blues head coach Craig Berube shook up the lineup to try and help his team pull themselves out of a 2-1 series deficit. Defenseman Scott Perunovich joined the lineup, Berube juggled the forward lines and swapped in goalie Jordan Binnington for Ville Husso.
Those moves paid off.
Jordan Kyrou was the offensive star for the Blues. Kyrou got the scoring started in the first period, scoring just four minutes into the game to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.
Wild star Kirill Kaprizov evened the game later in the first with his fifth goal of the first round, shooting a point-blank scoring chance past Binnington.
The Blues scored the next two goals in the second period thanks to some good luck and a filthy move from their young star.
David Perron got credit for the Blues' second goal, although, upon review, Wild forward Marcus Foligno accidentally kicked the puck into the back of his own net.
Kyrou scored his second of the game on a masterful move past the Wild defense that had Enterprise Center roaring.
The Wild cut into the Blues' lead less than three minutes into the third period with Matt Boldy getting credit for a goal that slithered in underneath Binnington and the Blues' defense.
The Blues added an empty-net goal from David Perron, and a power-play goal from Ryan O'Reilly in the third to make it a 5-2 lead.
Jordan Binnington saved 28 of 30 shots in his first start of this postseason.
The Blues and Wild will head back to Minnesota for Game 5 on Tuesday night. That puck drop is set for 8:30. With a win in Game 4, the Blues guaranteed the series will be coming back to St. Louis for a Game 6 on Thursday.
