With his team down 2-1 in their Western Conference Final series, Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock has decided to make a pretty significant change going in Game 4.
On Friday afternoon, Hitchcock announced that he’s swapping goaltenders. Jake Allen will get the start on Saturday night, not Brian Elliott.
Elliott has enjoyed plenty of success this postseason, as he’s won nine game, including two Game 7s against Chicago and Dallas. The 31-year-old also came up huge in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the Sharks.
Hitchcock says Jake Allen is starting Game 4
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 20, 2016
This move has probably more to do with the Blues needing a spark than it was to do with Elliott’s overall performance this postseason.
Hitchcock says it was his call but he did solicit opinions including from management. Looking for a momentum boost from the switch
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 20, 2016
Hitchcock on Allen over Elliott: “Their team is dialed-in and has been for 7 gms. It’s just a change in attitude in a number of avenues."
— Iain MacIntyre (@imacSportsnet) May 20, 2016
Allen spent a good amount of time as the Blues’ starter this season, but some lower-body injuries forced him to sit on the sidelines for a bit. The 25-year-old had a 26-15-3 record with a 2.35 goals-against-average and a .920 save percentage during the 2015-16 season.