Binnington makes Canada’s faith in him pay off in 4 Nations Face-Off opener

MONTREAL -- When coach Jon Cooper approached Jordan Binnington to let him know that he would be the starter in goal for Canada to open the 4 Nations Face-Off, over Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault, he had a specific message for the goaltender. He knew that some had questioned the choices on which goalies to name to the team, had questioned the choice on who would start against Sweden on Wednesday.

He also knew that Binnington could do it. He knew that Binnington had been here before, helping the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup win in 2019 against the Boston Bruins, taking Game 7 at TD Garden, where the 4 Nations will head next week.

“When I told him he was going to start tonight, we just talked about playing in big moments and big games. And he’s done it all,” Cooper said. “Even in his Cup run, he had to go on the road to win Game 7.

“But in the end, I said, ‘You’re going to have a team that’s going to be playing hard in front of you. Make the saves that you’re supposed to make. Maybe slide in one that you’re not.’ And that’s what he did.”

Binnington made 23 saves in helping Canada to a 4-3 overtime win against Sweden at Bell Centre in the opening game of the tournament. The win earned Canada two points.

“When he [had to make] the big save in overtime, he made it,” Cooper said. “And gave us a chance to win and we did.”

It had started slowly for Binnington, who didn’t see his first shot on goal until there was 2:44 left in the first period, on a shot by Gustav Forsling.

But it wouldn’t end there. Sweden would start to turn the tide in the second period, putting on the pressure and starting to find its game. Down 2-0, Sweden would get one back on a shot by Jonas Brodin from the right circle that beat Binnington over his left shoulder.

Two more came, one by Adrian Kempe at 1:54 of the third period and another by Joel Eriksson Ek at 8:59. Sweden had tied the score 3-3.

Then came overtime.

“There’s nothing like that atmosphere,” Binnington said. “You take a second and find yourself in overtime, Canada versus Sweden in Montreal. It’s a huge moment. This is why you put the work in.”

That was where Binnington justified the pick, silenced the critics, saw his game shine.

“‘Binner,’ with huge, huge saves,” forward Connor McDavid said, as he listed big performances by Canada.

It had certainly not been assured that Binnington would get the net -- the Blues goalie is 15-19-4 with a 2.89 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in 39 games (38 starts) this season -- and it was notable how privileged he felt to have been handed it, to have gotten the confidence and belief from the team and its coaching staff.

“It was amazing to be a part of,” he said. “I was very grateful and honored to be wearing the jersey and in the net.”

Maybe the best save for Binnington came at 1:55 of overtime, after Rickard Rakell took a drop pass from Mika Zibanejad, then beat Mark Stone and Brayden Point before sending the puck across from the right circle to the left, back to Zibanejad.

The New York Rangers forward shot the puck, and Binnington kept his stick on the ice well enough to block it as he slid across the crease to his right.

“Clutch,” Stone said. “He made some huge saves down the stretch. A huge save in overtime, I think it was on Zibanejad, which gave our top-end skill a chance to win the game for us (on Mitch Marner’s goal at 6:06). Just thought he made the big save when he needed to and gave us a chance to get it done.”

But it was not perfect.

“Getting that 2-0 lead, you want to keep a lead like that,” Binnington said. “Moving forward, just recognizing that, learning from it, and just doing our best to win games.”

They won this one, not just on the firepower that Canada boasts on offense, but on the saves that Binnington made, exactly when he needed to make them.

That’s when he focused, when he remembered what he could be and has been in the past and can be now, for Canada.

“Tie game, third period,” he said. “Just be resilient and do whatever you can to keep the puck out of the net. Believe in your team. We’ve got a great group. That was the mindset.”