Canada Starts Jordan Binnington in Olympic Gold-Medal Game vs. USA

Overview

• Head coach Jon Cooper confirmed Binnington as Canada's starter against the United States despite pre-tournament calls from some fans for a different No. 1.
• Binnington delivered decisive stops in Canada's 4-3 overtime quarterfinal win over Czechia and the 3-2 semifinal victory against Finland.
• Blues captain Brayden Schenn said Binnington has "the most pressure on him by a mile" in the tournament, underscoring the scrutiny on Canada's goalie.
• His NHL season with the Blues has been statistically poor at 8-17-6 with a 3.65 goals-against average and .864 save percentage, yet he continues to be credited for timely saves.
• The matchup features a high-profile goaltending contrast with USA's Connor Hellebuyck, who outlasted Binnington in a double-overtime, winner-take-all game last spring despite 43 saves from the Canadian.