The St. Louis Blues may never lose another hockey game again. They have rattled off nine straight wins, nearly completing their goal of making the playoffs. With seven games left to play, the possibility of making it to the first wildcard seed is still an option, as it is all tied up at 87 points apiece with Minnesota.
One of the things that has fueled these fantastic two weeks of victories might be their best-kept secret. This under-the-radar fact may be what sets them apart from the rest of the pack regarding the postseason.
That secret is in their goaltending.
Superb goaltending
Over the last nine games, both Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer have been nearly perfect. They have shut the door on some stiff competition and kept the Blues in the win column long enough to reach their third 9-game winning streak in franchise history.
Since this run began, Binnington has a record of 5-0 with 121 saves on 129 shots. He has only allowed eight goals in five starts. He has kept Colorado, Montreal, and Vancouver at bay, and all three of those teams are either in the playoffs or on the bubble.
Hofer has also really shone bright in his 4-0 record during this win streak. He has allowed only five goals on 86 shots faced. He handled Minnesota, two bouts with Nashville and finished off Chicago for the season sweep.
Possibility of splitting starts in the playoffs?
When it gets closer to playoff time, the Blues have an interesting decision to make. The obvious answer is to name Binnington the starter and see how far this improbable Blues team can go.
But, if the Blues get into some trouble in round 1, why not switch it up with Hofer? After all, he is 15-7-3 on the year, which is stellar for a back-up goaltender.
The Blues have a unique situation that could set them apart. Most of the other playoff teams have a bonafide, permanent starter, no matter how good or bad the games go. The Blues could theoretically give both Binnington and Hofer a chance this postseason.