With the NHL being on hold for now, there are no new goals for me to break down every week so I will be going back in time and breaking down the game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup-clinching game from every year until I can’t find the video or hockey returns (not sure which will be first, sadly). In the first installment, we take a look at the game-winner from Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final featuring Alex Pietrangelo and the St. Louis Blues vs. Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins.
After getting shellacked 5-1 at home in Game 6, the Blues looked for revenge and the Cup in Game 7 in Boston. After Ryan O’Reilly put St. Louis up 1-0 late in the first, it looked like that would be the score going into intermission. Jaden Schwartz and Alex Pietrangelo had other plans. Schwartz dropped the puck off the Pietrangelo on the rush and the Blues’ captain buried a backhander with eight seconds left in the frame. Let’s break it down.

Video courtesy of NHL
The play starts with an outlet pass to Schwartz while Boston makes a change. Three Bruins are caught deep but four Blues are there with them so it’s a 1-on-2 rush. Brad Marchand, however, is unable to make his change so he finds himself with his feet not moving at his own blueline. Schwartz bounces the puck off the boards and goes around Marchand who then changes. Charlie McAvoy challenges Schwartz but loses the race. The St. Louis forward takes a look over his shoulder and sees Pietrangelo blowing past the tired Marchand.
On the other side of the ice, Matt Grzelcyk covers Brayden Schenn in front of the net. With Grzelcyk tied up, McAvoy caught in the corner and all of the other Bruins either behind the play or coming off the bench, Pietrangelo has the entire middle of the ice to use, and he takes advantage. The defenseman takes the pass and skates below the hash marks before going forehand-backhand and sticking the puck under Tuukka Rask’s arm.
The extra effort in the final seconds of the period was a snapshot of the effort that set Blues apart in this game. Meanwhile, a bad and indecisive change by Marchand led to a crushing blow for his team heading into the locker room that changed the game. St. Louis won Game 7 4-1 for its first Stanley Cup in franchise history and pending unrestricted free agent Pietrangelo gave St. Louis a goal they will never forget.

John Smark