St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington will be sidelined for the rest of the team’s second-round series against the Colorado Avalanche, coach Craig Berube said Sunday.
The Blues recalled goaltender Charlie Lindgren from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds on Sunday under emergency conditions.
Binnington suffered what is suspected to be a knee injury after Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri collided with the Blues netminder with 13:15 remaining in the first period during Game 3 Saturday night. The injury is officially listed as “lower-body.”
“It’s always tough. Binner is a heart and soul (player), playing unbelievable,” Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly told reporters afterward. “It took the momentum away. … Things like that happen, we’re a good team and we could have done a better job of getting momentum back.”
In six playoff appearances this season, Binnington was 4-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .949 save-percentage. His return during the Minnesota Wild series is seen as the turning point for the Blues.
Ville Husso came in relief on Saturday and Colorado won 5-2 to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals series.
“Look at Kadri’s reputation — that’s all I’ve got to say,” Blues head coach Craig Berube said after the game.
Kadri, who has been suspended six times in his career, had a goal and an assist in the game and alleged that Binnington threw a water bottle at him during a post-game interview with NHL on TNT.
“I think it was Binnington, but I was kind of a little tied up, so you’ll have to ask him,” Kadri told reporters afterward.
Lindgren posted a 5-0-0 record with a 1.22 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage in five games with the Blues during the regular season.
The 28-year-old from Lakeville, Minn., joined St. Louis this year after spending the past five seasons with the Montreal Canadiens.
