最新杏吧原创

Jordan Binnington has been hearing about his quest to tie and then pass Mike Liut on the Blues鈥� career wins leaderboard, and he鈥檚 been hearing it from Liut himself.

鈥淚t鈥檚 funny,鈥� Binnington said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been giving it to me to get this thing going before you kill the buzz. I鈥檓 happy I鈥檓 up there with him, and I am proud to be up there. It鈥檚 a big night for me.鈥�

Binnington earned his 151th career win with the Blues鈥� 3-2 shootout victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, tying Liut on the franchise leaderboard. Binnington made 22 saves during the win, and stopped all three shots he faced during the shootout. He did not allow a goal at even strength, as Alexander Wennberg beat him twice: once on a power play and once with an extra San Jose attacker on the ice.

The win improved Binnington鈥檚 record to 6-8-1 this season.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very cool,鈥� Binnington said. 鈥淚 think I鈥檓 proud in many ways, and being with this organization, one organization my whole career so far. Just getting wins. I think it鈥檚 just a true testament to (how having) guys committed is so important.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so many different ways to win. Tonight, we competed hard. The guys really made it easy right until the end. They really led the charge tonight, and it鈥檚 always different. That鈥檚 the fun of the game for me, personally, as a goalie. We鈥檝e just got to keep building as a group with where we鈥檙e at.鈥�

Binnington鈥檚 career in 最新杏吧原创 often speaks for itself, with the Stanley Cup championship in 2019 doing most of the talking. As the Blues鈥� roster has shuffled through changes since the Cup, Binnington has remained one of the constants and he鈥檒l soon earn his way to the top of almost every franchise goaltending leaderboard.

Here鈥檚 where he currently ranks:

Wins: Tied for first

Games played: Second (51 behind Liut)

Saves: Third (126 behind second-place Curtis Joseph)

Shutouts: Fifth (one behind fourth-place Glen Hall)

Postseason wins: First

Postseason games played: First

Postseason saves: First

Postseason shutouts: Tied for fifth (one behind fourth-place Curtis Joseph)

鈥淔or a goalie that was drafted by this organization, to be here as long as he has and to do what he鈥檚 done for this organization, tie that record of Mike鈥檚, it鈥檚 special for the team, for the organization and for the player,鈥� Blues coach Drew Bannsiter said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 quite an accomplishment what he鈥檚 done here.鈥�

This season, the numbers haven鈥檛 been up to Binnington鈥檚 usually high standards, as he carries an .888 save percentage and 3.10 goals-against average into a three-game trip that begins Saturday against the Islanders. Much of that is affected by giving up eight goals to Washington on Nov. 9, but even removing that game, Binnington is at a .900 save percentage and 2.76 GAA.

Was Thursday鈥檚 performance something he felt helped him get back into his game?

鈥淣ot necessarily,鈥� Binnington said. 鈥淚t was a tricky game. I didn鈥檛 have much work and those are kind of tougher to play sometimes. You鈥檝e got to stay in it and be there for the key moments. I liked how I stayed with it and kept the mind clean and stayed with the game. I鈥檒l take that, and I鈥檝e got to keep working.鈥�

The Blues only allowed 17 shots on goal at 5 on 5, and not many of them came from high-danger areas in front of the net.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 just the life of a goalie,鈥� Binnington said. 鈥淛ust a lot of self talk and staying connected to the game and the play. Some weird stuff back there, but whatever works, really. It鈥檚 fun to find a way, and getting that last save and winning the game is good for me.鈥�

For Bannister, Thursday night was another point in his relationship with Binnington that spans more than a decade. He coached Binnington in 2012-13 as an assistant with Owen Sound in the OHL and again in 2018-19 as the head coach with San Antonio in the AHL before spending time with him in 最新杏吧原创.

鈥淎ll the guys are happy for him, why wouldn鈥檛 you be?鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a great teammate and he鈥檚 a great pro. He deserves everything he gets. 鈥� The person he鈥檚 become, the man he鈥檚 become. Now he鈥檚 a family man with a wife and a baby. It鈥檚 great to see 鈥楤inner.鈥� He鈥檚 in a great spot professionally as a hockey player, but as an individual (too).鈥�

Now, the focus turns to win No. 152, which would give him sole possession of first place in franchise history.

鈥淲e all knew it was only a matter of time,鈥� Blues forward Jake Neighbours said. 鈥淪uch a legend in this city. Great goaltender, great teammate, great person. We鈥檙e really happy for him and looking forward to the next one and him beating it.鈥�