ST. LOUIS — A high-scoring offense, experienced defense and overall physical style isn't all the Wild and Blues had in common during the regular season.
Both teams staying with goaltenders in Wild-Blues series
Marc-Andre Fleury and Ville Husso continue to hold things down as series switches to St. Louis.
May 7, 2022 at 6:06AM
They also both relied on two goaltenders, especially leading up to the playoffs.
But three games into their first-round matchup, each team has started the same netminder.
Puck drop on Friday at Enterprise Center once again saw Marc-Andre Fleury vs. Ville Husso as the best-of-seven series shifted to St. Louis, a showdown that continues to feature the savvy veteran and up-and-comer after both started 2021-22 in different roles.
"I feel lucky," Fleury said. "I feel lucky that I can keep playing. My season's not over yet."
Fleury went from a rebuilding team out of the playoffs in the Blackhawks to the eventual second-best squad in the Western Conference, joining the Wild on March 21 in a trade deadline deal for a draft pick.
After his arrival, Fleury settled into a rotation with Cam Talbot before Fleury's workload increased. The 37-year-old handled four of the final five games before the playoffs and then rolled into this clash with the Blues.
"To have an opportunity coming from a team that's out of the playoffs to come into a situation where you're having an opportunity to play playoff games, it's exciting," said Wild defenseman Jon Merrill, who went through the same transition last year getting traded from the Red Wings to the Canadiens before they went on a run to the Stanley Cup Final. "It can be logistically challenging as far as finding your housing and getting to know the guys and stuff like that. But that all sorts itself out.
"These are the games you want to be in as an athlete, as a competitor. So, it's really exciting."
As for Husso, he's been with St. Louis all season long, but he was initially the backup.
Jordan Binnington, who backstopped the Blues to the Stanley Cup three years ago, was in net for most of the first half. But since then, the 27-year-old Husso seized control of the crease to merit the Game 1 start, and picked up a shutout in his playoff debut.
"Maybe the crowd was a little louder, but I did everything that I normally do and got ready," Husso said after his 37-save performance in Game 1, a 4-0 victory for St. Louis. "A little nervous before like always, in a good way. But I feel like it was a pretty normal day."
Their journeys are not alike, but Fleury and Husso still ended up in identical spots.
"It's a hard battle," Fleury said. "That's why the wins feel even better. When you have to battle to win, it feels good."
In the box
Although the penalty kill was better in Game 2, surrendering just one goal after giving up two in Game 1 and another right after a Blues power play expired, the Wild still wants to cut back on its trips to the penalty box.
Through the first two games, the team put St. Louis on the power play 11 times.
"Way too many penalties," coach Dean Evason said. "They're probably all warranted. Could there be calls the other way? Sure. It happens every night. But we'd certainly like to get that number down.
"The more opportunity you give that group on the power play, the more it's going to bite us in the butt."
Blues update
St. Louis defenseman Marco Scandella made his series debut on Friday, returning from a lower-body injury.
The Blues were still missing defensemen Nick Leddy and Robert Bortuzzo due to upper-body injuries.
A 7-1 loss to Edmonton came with back-to-back home games just ahead and another injury in place, as the Wild placed defenseman Jake Middleton on IR and claimed veteran Travis Dermott off waivers.
