‘Hopefully some of the haters back off of him’: Connor McDavid praises Jordan Binnington’s 4 Nations play
Following Team Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory over the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off, overtime hero Connor McDavid had high praise for goaltender Jordan Binnington.
“I’ve heard it time and time again, Binner’s a winner and that’s ultimately what it is,” McDavid said in a post-game press conference. “He’s won a big game in (Boston) before in 2019. He’s played in big moments, the moment doesn’t get to him.”
BINNERRRR 🗣️
How about some stick taps for Jordan Binnington's performance when it mattered most?! 🙅♂️ #4Nations pic.twitter.com/Iyq9UpAXgR
Binnington ended up making 31 saves in the win. The St. Louis Blues netminder, who turned back the clock to the 2019 Stanley Cup final on Thursday night, played in all four games for Canada, posting a 2.37 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.
In particular, Binnington had two massive glove saves in overtime to keep the game tied. Canada ultimately got a game-winner from McDavid to keep Canada’s streak in best-on-best competition alive.
“He made probably three or four all-world saves early in overtime to allow us to score the goal,” McDavid said. “So all credit to him, honestly. Hopefully, some of those haters will back off him, because, honestly, he played great.”
Canada coach Jon Cooper also had good things to say about Binnington.
“It wasn’t something where, if this game was won in regulation, we were gonna sit there and say, you know, Jordan Binnington saved the game,” Cooper said in the post-game press conference, “But when it came to overtime and we needed him most, to make the saves you supposed to, and then make a few that you’re not, he saved his best for last. And that’s what winners do, and there wasn’t a chance I was not gonna back the winner.”
Canada forward Nathan MacKinnon, who opened the scoring for the Canadians and captured the tournament MVP, also praised his goaltender.
“We all thought he would be amazing tonight,” MacKinnon said. “Even privately, we were talking, and we expected a great game out of him, and we got one, so we are very thankful for that.”
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