# 2019 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2019 [Stanley Cup Finals](https://www.edgepedia.org/stanley-cup-finals) was the championship series of the [National Hockey League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-hockey-league)'s 2018-19 season, in which the [St. Louis Blues](https://www.edgepedia.org/st-louis-blues) defeated the Boston Bruins four games to three to win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Blues clinched the title with a 4-1 road win in Game 7 at TD Garden on June 12, 2019.[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976) The championship ended a 52-year wait for the Blues' first Stanley Cup, since the Blues had entered the league in 1967-68 and lost their three previous Final appearances.[2](https://www.iihf.com/en/news/13192/st-louis-wins-first-cup) • [8](https://media.nhl.com/site/vasset/public/attachments/2024/06/18181/MorningSkate062024.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Matchup | St. Louis Blues (West) vs. Boston Bruins (East); Blues won the series 4-3[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976) |
| Clinching game | Game 7, June 12, 2019, TD Garden: Blues 4, Bruins 1[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976) |
| Significance | First Stanley Cup in Blues history, ending a 52-year drought, the longest in the NHL[2](https://www.iihf.com/en/news/13192/st-louis-wins-first-cup) |
| Playoff MVP | Ryan O'Reilly, Conn Smythe Trophy, with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in the postseason[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976) |
| Rookie goaltender | Jordan Binnington won a rookie-record 16 games in one postseason, including 32 saves in Game 7[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976) |
| Blues' coach | Craig Berube, appointed on an interim basis during the season[3](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-awards/nhl-stanley-cup-champions-winners-complete-list-287705398) |
| Historical note | First Stanley Cup Final Game 7 in eight years[4](https://media.nhl.com/site/vasset/public/attachments/2019/06/13356/4%20-%202019%20Stanley%20Cup%20Playoffs%20Recap.pdf) |
## The Blues' turnaround season
St. Louis reached the Final after one of the most dramatic in-season recoveries in league history. The Blues ranked last in the overall NHL standings through games played January 2, with a 15-18-4 record and 34 points, and became the first team of the NHL's expansion era to win a championship after holding last place in the overall League standings at any point after the 30th game of the season. From January 3 onward they posted the League's best record, contending for the Central Division title on the final day of the regular season.[4](https://media.nhl.com/site/vasset/public/attachments/2019/06/13356/4%20-%202019%20Stanley%20Cup%20Playoffs%20Recap.pdf)
Interim coach [Craig Berube](https://www.edgepedia.org/craig-berube) tightened the team's defense, installed [Jordan Binnington](https://www.edgepedia.org/jordan-binnington) as the starting goaltender, and ingrained a hard-nosed style of hockey; St. Louis had the league's second-best record the rest of the way.[5](https://www.si.com/nhl/2019/05/24/stanley-cup-final-matchup-breakdown-blues-bruins)
## Road to the Final
**St. Louis Blues.** The Blues defeated the [Winnipeg Jets](https://www.edgepedia.org/winnipeg-jets) in six games in the Western Conference First Round, with Jaden Schwartz scoring a natural hat trick in the clinching Game 6. In the second round they beat the [Dallas Stars](https://www.edgepedia.org/dallas-stars) in seven games, taking the decider 2-1 in double overtime on [Patrick Maroon](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-maroon)'s wrist shot at 5:50 of the second overtime after Ben Bishop made 52 saves. They then defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games in the Western Conference Final, capped by a 5-1 win in Game 6, to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1970.[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976)
**Boston Bruins.** Boston entered the Final with the best goal differential of any playoff team (+24) and had eliminated the [Toronto Maple Leafs](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-maple-leafs) in seven games, the [Columbus Blue Jackets](https://www.edgepedia.org/columbus-blue-jackets) in six, and the [Carolina Hurricanes](https://www.edgepedia.org/carolina-hurricanes) in a four-game sweep of the Eastern Conference Final.[5](https://www.si.com/nhl/2019/05/24/stanley-cup-final-matchup-breakdown-blues-bruins)
The Final itself was a rematch 49 years in the making. When the teams had last met in the Stanley Cup Final, in 1970, [Bobby Orr](https://www.edgepedia.org/bobby-orr) scored the championship-clinching overtime goal in Game 4 to complete a Bruins sweep, and the Blues had not returned to the Final since.[5](https://www.si.com/nhl/2019/05/24/stanley-cup-final-matchup-breakdown-blues-bruins)
## Series summary
The series see-sawed through its first six games, with neither team winning consecutive games until the seventh.
- **Game 1 (May 27, Boston 4-2).** The Blues led 2-0 on goals by Brayden Schenn and [Vladimir Tarasenko](https://www.edgepedia.org/vladimir-tarasenko), but Connor Clifton, Charlie McAvoy, and Sean Kuraly, who scored the game-winner early in the third, brought Boston back, with [Brad Marchand](https://www.edgepedia.org/brad-marchand) adding an empty-net goal.[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976)
- **Game 2 (May 30, Blues 3-2, OT).** After going 0-13 in Stanley Cup Final games in franchise history, the Blues won their first, coming back from a one-goal deficit twice. Carl Gunnarsson's first NHL playoff goal, in his 57th playoff game, won it at 3:51 of overtime.[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976)
- **Game 3 (June 1, Bruins 7-2).** Boston scored four power-play goals on four shots, with Torey Krug recording four points, and Binnington was pulled for the first time in the playoffs after allowing five goals on 19 shots.[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976)
- **Game 4 (June 3, Blues 4-2).** [Ryan O'Reilly](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryan-oreilly) scored 43 seconds into the game and again in the third period, and Binnington, back in net, made 21 saves to even the series.[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976)
- **Game 5 (June 6, Blues 2-1).** O'Reilly opened the scoring 55 seconds into the second period, David Perron added a goal, and Binnington made 38 saves to tie the rookie record for most playoff wins in one postseason (15).[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976)
- **Game 6 (June 9, Bruins 5-1).** A four-goal third period by Boston ended the chance of a Blues championship at home; Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Karson Kuhlman, David Pastrnak, and Zdeno Chara scored for the Bruins, who tied the series.[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976)
- **Game 7 (June 12, Blues 4-1).** O'Reilly scored for the fourth straight game and Alex Pietrangelo added a goal and an assist, with Pietrangelo's goal coming with eight seconds left in the first period for a 2-0 lead. Schenn and Zach Sanford extended the lead before Matt Grzelcyk's consolation goal. Binnington made 32 saves.[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976)
## Records and significance
The Game 7 win gave the Blues their first championship in the franchise's 52-year history, with Commissioner Gary Bettman presenting the Cup to captain Alex Pietrangelo.[6](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sLJmIge5jc) Binnington's 16th win of the playoffs set the rookie record for a single postseason, and O'Reilly, who scored in each of the last four games of the Final, won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.[1](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976) The series was the first Stanley Cup Final to reach a Game 7 in eight years.[4](https://media.nhl.com/site/vasset/public/attachments/2019/06/13356/4%20-%202019%20Stanley%20Cup%20Playoffs%20Recap.pdf) The championship run also entered popular culture: the song "Gloria" became the anthem of the franchise's first Stanley Cup run, a reference point for later Blues late-season surges.[7](https://apnews.com/article/b9e001060b097c1af0dfc75d8547af91)
## References
1. [How Blues won Stanley Cup, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/st-louis-blues-road-to-stanley-cup-title-307817976)
2. [St. Louis wins first Cup, IIHF](https://www.iihf.com/en/news/13192/st-louis-wins-first-cup)
3. [Stanley Cup Champions complete list, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-awards/nhl-stanley-cup-champions-winners-complete-list-287705398)
4. [2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs Recap, NHL Media (PDF)](https://media.nhl.com/site/vasset/public/attachments/2019/06/13356/4%20-%202019%20Stanley%20Cup%20Playoffs%20Recap.pdf)
5. [Stanley Cup Final Breakdown: How Do the Blues Stack Up Against the Favored Bruins?, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/nhl/2019/05/24/stanley-cup-final-matchup-breakdown-blues-bruins)
6. [St. Louis Blues raise the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history, NHL on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sLJmIge5jc)
7. [Meet Jobu, the good luck charm behind the St. Louis Blues' late-season run to the playoffs, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/b9e001060b097c1af0dfc75d8547af91)
8. [media.nhl.com](https://media.nhl.com/site/vasset/public/attachments/2024/06/18181/MorningSkate062024.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Hockey and remaining team sports › National Hockey League › NHL seasons, playoffs, and Finals*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license