The St. Louis Blues' Stanley Cup playoffs run did not start as the team had hoped. The team lost the first two games to start the series, but has won both games on home ice to claw their way back into it. In the first two games of the series, the Blues kept it close, but when the third period came around, it looked like the team would run out of gas. The script has flipped in the two games in St. Louis as the Blues have outscored the Winnipeg Jets six to two in the third period. A large proponent in the team's improvement has been the play of Pavel Buchnevich.
Buchnevich's regular-season performance left some fans wanting more. He was coming off three straight 60-point seasons, but he struggled a little to start the season and finished the year with 20 goals and 57 points. His play worried some fans and media members because Buchnevich signed an extension for eight years, paying him 8 million per season, which kicks in at the start of next season. Buchnevich's production has dipped in the last two seasons, which is not a good sign from one of your core players who just signed a new big deal. It raises concerns that if his play continues to go down, his new contract could make him untradable if the team tries to move off of him. However, Buchnevich seemed to have found his stride near the end of the season and carried that into the playoffs.
Buchnevich finished the season with nine points in 7 games in April and carried that momentum straight into the playoffs. He has been consistent throughout the playoffs, recording a point in all four games. Buchnevich came up big when the team needed him most in game three. The Blues were down two games to none and needed a spark if they had any hope of coming back in the series. Buchnevich set the tone early, lighting the lamp less than 40 seconds into the game and followed that up by increasing the lead to two less than three minutes later. He ended the first period with two goals and an assist, helping the Blues get off to an early three-to-nothing lead in the first. Buchnevich continued his excellent play in the second period. After the Jets scored to start the period, Buchnevich answered right back, not even a minute later, to bring the lead back to three and complete his hat trick. The Blues won the game seven to two and found some life in the series.
Buchnevich showed up at the right time, as the Blues now look like everything is clicking. The team evened up the series in game four, where Buchnevich recorded another point as the team chased Connor Hellebuyck in consecutive games. Buchnevich is second on the team this postseason in points and first in goals. He has helped spark the team in the series and brought the momentum back into the Blues' favour going into game five in Winnipeg. There is still lots of hockey to play in the series, but if the team advances and makes a deep playoff run, Buchnevich's continued strong play could cement his place in Blues playoff history.