Jordan Binnington made 31 saves to earn his 16th career shutout, setting a new St. Louis franchise record with his 152nd win, as the St. Louis Blues defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Wednesday night.
With the victory, Binnington passed his current agent, Mike Liut, for the most wins by a Blues goaltender. Liut’s long-standing record of 151 victories had stood for nearly 40 years.
After tying Liut’s record on Thursday in front of a packed home crowd, Binnington spoke about his pursuit of the milestone, saying, “It’s pretty special. I’m proud of this for so many different reasons. I’m proud to be a Blue and play hard for this city.”
This season marks Binnington’s fifth straight year as the Blues’ clear starting goaltender. He also remains the only goaltender in franchise history to win a Stanley Cup-clinching game.
Jordan Binnington turning the St. Louis Blues around
Binnington’s standout rookie season in 2018-19 played a crucial role in the Blues’ remarkable turnaround, as they surged from last place in January to Stanley Cup champions. Many view his first NHL start, a 25-save shutout on the road against the Philadelphia Flyers on January 7, 2019, as a pivotal moment in the team’s Cup run.
The Blues goalkeeper Binnington, finished the 2018-19 regular season with an outstanding 24 wins in 30 starts, earning the starting role over Jake Allen. His exceptional performance set the stage for the Blues’ remarkable playoff run, culminating in the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title in 52 years.
Binnington also holds the Blues’ all-time playoff wins record with 20, the majority of which came during St. Louis’ Stanley Cup-winning season. However, these playoff victories are separate and do not contribute to the all-time regular season win record he just set.
Some of Jordan Binnington’s most notable wins contributing to his record include his 2019 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, which extended the Blues’ franchise-record winning streak to 11 games, a career-high 50-save performance in 2021 against the Vegas Golden Knights, and the 2022 Winter Classic outdoor win over the Minnesota Wild.
The 31-year-old is in the third year of a six-year, $36 million contract that began in the 2021-22 season. If he remains healthy and continues as the primary starter, it’s possible he could eventually become the first Blues goaltender to reach 200 career wins.
The Blues conquering the Devils
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Dylan Holloway netted two goals for the Blues, while Robert Thomas found the back of the net just nine seconds into the game, narrowly missing the NHL record for the fastest game-opening goal, which is held by two players at eight seconds. Thomas joined that exclusive group, along with two others, who scored in nine seconds.
Justin Faulk, Pavel Buchnevich, Brandon Saad, and Jake Neighbours all registered assists in the game.
St. Louis scored all its goals in the first period. Heading into Wednesday, the Blues had outscored their opponents 23-12 in the opening frame.
Jacob Markstrom, making his 500th career appearance, recorded 17 saves for New Jersey, which outshot the Blues 32-18.
The Devils managed only seven shots during three power-play opportunities. They were also missing forward Timo Meier, who was serving a one-game suspension for cross-checking Nashville Predators’ Zachary L’Heureux in the face during Monday’s 5-2 win.