GAME 3 TRENDS

* With the series tied 1-1, there will not be a sweep in the Stanley Cup Final for a record 20th straight season (since 1998 DET: 4-0 W vs. WSH). The longest prior such streak was seven straight series, from 1953-59 and 1961-67.

* This marks the 29th Stanley Cup Final that has been tied 1-1 since the series went to the best-of-seven format in 1939 (29-of-80 series, 36%). This is the second straight such occurrence and fourth in the past seven years, following 2013 (CHI-BOS), 2015 (CHI-TBL) and 2018 (WSH-VGK).

* When the Final has been tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 ultimately has gone on to capture the Stanley Cup 79% of the time since the series went to the best-of-seven format in 1939 (22-of-28 series). However, the loser of Game 3 in three of the past four such instances (2004 TBL, 2013 CHI and 2015 CHI) has rebounded to win the championship.

* Teams winning Game 3 of the Final – regardless of series score – have gone on to hoist the Stanley Cup 66% of the time since 1939 (52-of-79 series). Again, the loser of Game 3 ultimately has captured three of the past four Stanley Cups (2015 CHI, 2016 PIT, 2017 PIT).

* The Blues are 30-32 (.484) in 62 all-time Game 3s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (18-13 at home), including a 1 2 record this year (0-2 at home). The Bruins are 54-48 (.529) in Game 3s, including a 32-25 record (.561) on the road. They are 1-2 in Game 3s this year, all played away from home.

STANLEY CUP FINAL RETURNS TO ST. LOUIS AFTER 49 YEARS

The Stanley Cup Final returns to the city of St. Louis 17,924 days after the last such game, with the Blues playing host to the Bruins for Game 3. Tonight's encounter will be the first Final game played in St. Louis since May 5, 1970, when the Blues played host to the Bruins in Game 2 of the 1970 Final. Ed Westfall and Derek Sanderson each scored a pair of goals, and Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito notched two assists apiece as Boston posted a 6-2 win for a 2-0 series lead in what would become a four-game sweep.

Also on the ice for Game 2 of the 1970 Stanley Cup Final in St. Louis was Hockey Hall of Fame linesman Neil Armstrong, the father of Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong. During his 21-year NHL career, the elder Armstrong worked 1,744 regular season games and 208 Stanley Cup playoff games, including 18 consecutive Stanley Cup Final series between 1959 and 1977.

STANLEY CUP FINAL CELEBRATION IN ST. LOUIS

The NHL, Blues and Downtown St. Louis are celebrating the return of the Stanley Cup Final to St. Louis by bringing the 2019 Stanley Cup Final Party, featuring live music and a viewing party, to Market Street for Games 3 and 4. Both events are free and open to the public at 3 p.m, CT. A ticket will not be required for entry.

The 2019 Stanley Cup Final Party will occupy Market Street between Tucker and 14th Streets and the surrounding area.

Indie pop band Echosmith will headline the concert and viewing party before Game 3. As previously announced, Grammy-winning musician Gary Clark Jr. will take over the 2019 Stanley Cup Final Party headlining duties with a performance on Monday, June 3 before Game 4.

TARASENKO AIMS TO KEEP STREAKS ALIVE

Vladimir Tarasenko scored St. Louis’ second tying goal of Game 2 to extend his point streak to eight games (5-5—10) and goal streak to four contests (4-2—6). With 10-5—15 overall this postseason, Tarasenko now sits two goals back of matching Jaden Schwartz (12-6—18 in 21 GP) for the team lead.

Tarasenko now has 32 career playoff goals (32-15—47 in 65 GP), third on the Blues’ all-time list behind only Brett Hull (67 in 102 GP) and Bernie Federko (35 in 91 GP).

A five-time 30-goal scorer during the regular season, Tarasenko also sits one shy of matching franchise playoff records for longest goal streak and longest point streak.

MARCHAND GOALS = BOSTON WINS

Brad Marchand scored his 29th career playoff goal (and eighth of 2019) in Game 1. Boston improved to 24-1 all time when Marchand scores in the postseason. The team’s lone such loss came in Game 5 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. WSH.

Marchand has six career goals in the Stanley Cup Final (6-2—8 in 15 GP), which trails only Bobby Orr (8 in 16 GP), Johnny Bucyk (8 in 24 GP) and Wayne Cashman (7 in 26 GP) for the most in franchise history.

Marchand, who reached the 100-point milestone for the first time during the regular season, sits second in playoff scoring this year (8-11—19 in 19 GP) behind San Jose’s Logan Couture (14-6—20 in 20 GP). Marchand’s 19 postseason points equal his career high, set as a rookie in 2011 en route to Boston’s last Stanley Cup (11-8—19 in 25 GP).

SCHWARTZ APPROACHING BLUES RECORD; COYLE THRIVING WITH BRUINS

Jaden Schwartz has tallied 12-6—18 in 21 GP in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, three points shy of tying the Blues franchise record for one playoff year, held by Brett Hull (13-8—21 in 1990). Schwartz enters Game 3 with 14 points in 13 career regular-season and playoff games against Boston (6-8—14).

Acquired by his hometown team at the trade deadline, Charlie Coyle (East Weymouth, Mass.) opened the scoring in Game 2 with his seventh goal of the postseason (7-6—13 in 19 GP). That goal made Coyle the highest-scoring Massachusetts-born Bruins player ever in a postseason – John Carter (Winchester, Mass.) and Bob Sweeney (Concord, Mass.) had six goals in 1990 and 1988, respectively.

GUNNARSSON PLAYS UNLIKELY HERO IN GAME 2

Carl Gunnarsson, who had 0-3—3 in 56 career playoff appearances entering Game 2, scored at 3:51 of overtime to help the Blues even the Stanley Cup Final at 1-1. Gunnarsson became the third player in NHL history to score his first career playoff goal in overtime of the Stanley Cup Final. The others: Chicago’s Cy Wentworth in Game 3 of the 1931 series at MTL (7 GP) and Montreal’s Brian Skrudland in Game 2 of the 1986 series at CGY (17 GP).

BRUINS POWER PLAY CONTINUES TO PRODUCE

The Bruins enter Game 3 having scored at least one power-play goal in six consecutive games, the fourth such run in franchise history following seven-game stretches in 1958, 1988 and 1999. Boston has 19 total power-play goals this postseason, tied for the franchise’s second-most within a single playoff year behind only 1991 (24).