Prior to the 2018-19 season, goaltender Jordan Binnington had played just 13 NHL minutes total.
After the St. Louis Blues' 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Friday, Binnington now has 10 NHL playoff victories to his name.
The 25-year-old goalie had a breakout regular season with the Blues, racking up a 24-5-0-1 record after making his first start on Jan. 7. Binnington has continued his red-hot play in the postseason, going 10-7 with a 2.67 goals-against average and leading his team to two wins away from the Stanley Cup Final.
Friday night was more of the same from the Richmond Hill, Ont., native, who stopped 29 of San Jose 30 shots and came up big when needed in Game 4.
Binnington — who was selected by the Blues with the 87th overall selection in the 2011 NHL Draft — has experienced an unusual rise to his dominant form. Aside from a 13-minute cameo in 2016, he bounced around the American Hockey League before picking up regular playing time this year. The netminder never looked back, earning Rookie of the Month honors in February and March and eventually setting a Blues rookie record for most wins in a season.
On Friday, Binnington put his name alongside Patrick Roy, Ron Hextall and Ken Dryden and others when he became the 10th rookie goalie to pick up at least 10 victories in a single postseason. He's also the first Blues goaltender to earn 10 wins in a playoff run.
Binnington also became the 10th rookie goaltender in NHL history to earn at least 10 wins in a single postseason. #NHLStats #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/dHgQIUZqiK
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 18, 2019
Binnington will have a chance to add to his win total when the Blues face the Sharks in Game 5 on Saturday. The series is tied 2-2.