Binnington Clutch For Canada In Overtime Of 4-3 Win Against Sweden To Open 4 Nations Face-Off

The Jordan Binnington haters were ready to pounce.

After the St. Louis Blues and Canada goalie allowed two third-period goals against Sweden on Wednesday in the opener of the 4 Nations Face-Off that erased a two-goal Canada lead, doubters were eager and anxious to be heard.

Questions began when Canada coach Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay Lightning) named Binnington as the opening-game starter.

Well once again, Binnington was happy enough to silence his critics. When the stage is bright and gets brighter and more pressure-packed, he proved again on this night he’s up to the task.

He made one huge left-to-right save on New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad at 1:55 of overtime to keep the game alive:

He then came up with another brilliant save, this time on Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe’s redirection right in his grill after Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar was without a stick:

If not for either of those two stops, Canada doesn’t get to see this overtime winner by Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, set up by the great Sidney Crosby — his third assist of the game — of the Pittsburgh Penguins:

Binnington, who stopped 23 of 26 shots for the game, had little to no work in the first period, seeing only three shots while Canada took a 2-0 lead. But Sweden began to find its legs and quality chances, including this redirection by Penguins forward Rikard Rakell in the second period:

Sure, you can question the positioning perhaps of Binnington on Minnesota WIld defenseman Jonas Brodin’s goal that made it 2-1; if he’s upright more, that puck hits his upper body instead of glances off the shoulder and up into the net, but the Kempe shot early in the third period was a goal scorer’s goal and the Joel Eriksson Ek (Wild) goal on a tap-in at the side of the net was a beautiful play by the upset-minded Swedes.

The stakes were high and when it mattered most, Binnington rose to the occasion and helped his country win a game that it — and he — would have been ridiculed for if Canada lost.

Also, Blues defenseman Colton Parayko had three shots on goal and three blocked shots in 22:58 having to play extra minutes when Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore left early with an apparent injury to his right hand/wrist.

Parayko, who was partnered most of the game with WInnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, started the outlet on Canada’s second goal that made it 2-0 scored by Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand: