WINNIPEG -- Jim Montgomery has complete confidence.
The St. Louis Blues coach wasn't dwelling on their 5-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round at Canada Life Centre on Wednesday. The Blues have accomplished too much since coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break to doubt their comeback abilities.
"I believe in our group. We've done it here for 2 1/2 months," he said. "There's no reason to believe that we're not going to be coming out full force and trying to force a Game 7."
It's been more than two months since the Blues have lost a game at Enterprise Center, where they'll host the Jets in Game 6 on Friday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, CBC).
Trailing in the best-of-7 series, they've never needed that home domination to continue more than now.
They've won 14 straight at Enterprise Center, their last loss there coming Feb. 22, their first game after the 4 Nations break, when the Jets defeated them 4-3 in a shootout.
"They're a good team but we've played some good hockey at home for a couple of months now. So we're comfortable there," Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. "We played well in Games 3 and 4. You knew it was going to be a tough series. They're a good team, [there was] a lot of back and forth and momentum swings. So far the road team hasn't been able to get the job done. It's our turn to get one at home now."
This is the only Stanley Cup Playoff series so far in which the home team has won every game. It's the first series in which the home team has won each of the first five games since the 2022 Eastern Conference Second Round between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes (six games). In that series, the home team won every time until Game 7, when the Rangers eliminated the Hurricanes in Carolina.
"No one's won on the road so far," Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist said. "So obviously we're feeling good going home and [will try to] do everything we can to come back here on Sunday."
It's easy to understand why the Blues are confident. They didn't just defeat the Jets in Games 3 and 4 at home, they dominated them. They outscored the Jets 12-3 combined in those games. They frustrated the Jets in just about every facet, and Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck was pulled in each, the first time in his postseason career that's happened.
The Blues wanted to carry those home performances into to Game 5 in Winnipeg, but it didn't happen.
"I mean, there are adjustments always, right? I just don't think we liked our game tonight," Schenn said Wednesday. "At the end of the day, we weren't good enough tonight to turn the tides. We got some key goals at key times and just weren't able to grab momentum after that. Obviously a little bit deflating. At the end of the day, you turn the page, move on and go to Game 6."
If there was one bright spot for the Blues, it was their fourth line of left wing Alexey Toropchenko, center Radek Faksa and right wing Nathan Walker. Walker scored his first two goals of the playoffs, with Faksa and Toropchenko assisting on his second one.
"I thought [that line] did a lot of good things. Their habits and their game management were excellent," Montgomery said. "They had a lot of big hits again and they just keep building our game the right way. So they're a good example of what we need to do."
The Blues have been fighting the uphill battle since February. They were eight points out of a playoff spot coming out of the 4 Nations, went on a franchise-record 12-game winning streak from March 15-April 5 and clinched a playoff berth in Game No. 82. This is one more bit of adversity, but they're confident in facing it, especially at home.
"We know we can play better, and we know what this group is capable of," Blues defenseman Justin Faulk said. "We're excited to get back home, get the job done there, and you never know. We've just got to win that one and get to Game 7."
