Jordan Binnington made 40 saves, Dylan Holloway scored twice and St. Louis beat Toronto 5-1 on Thursday night, spoiling Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube’s first game against the Blues since they fired him in December.
Berube led St. Louis to a number of successful campaigns during his tenure as the Blues head coach, which spanned over four years. His efforts culminated in a Stanley Cup victory in 2019.
However, Berube had his fair share of ups and downs while coaching the Blues, with the team showing significant inconsistency in his final season. Despite this, his eventual departure came as a surprise to many, considering the stability he was able to provide in his initial years as head coach.
The Blues would eventually go on to replace Berube, and while the change has not led to drastically different results, there has been an increase in performance by some of their star players.
Meanwhile, Berube wasted no time in securing a new coaching position and eventually signed with the Maple Leafs. He joined a team that has underperformed in the recent past but boasts a talented roster, heavily stocked with draft picks and youth.
His journey with Toronto has just begun, but this premature meeting against the Blues has given the hockey world an early indication of how both teams have adjusted since the departure of their former coach.
Last night’s game told an interesting story. Despite dominating possession, Toronto only managed to convert a single goal into a score, as their talented roster hit a roadblock against an experienced Blues squad and Jordan Binnington's excellence in the net.
This first meeting was expected to be a heated affair, with all eyes on the two main protagonists: Berube and the Blues. St. Louis' convincing win has delivered a resounding statement that will undoubtedly cast a shadow over future encounters.