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But right now, during this high-stakes stretch for the Blues, No. 2 goalie Joel Hofer is playing like a No. 1.

And for as much has been made about the team’s’ springtime scoring surge and valiant defense since Colton Parayko’s injury, the play by Hofer has been imperative. Why? Because the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, for all its positive fanfare, forced teams into a tight schedule since the break. That meant the need for backup goalies to start games. And the Blues, climbing toward a playoff spot, benefitted from both a burgeoning Jordan Binnington and his backup.

And since Hofer’s Dallas debacle on March 2, he entered Sunday 3-0-1 in his last four starts (three on the road). His overall save percentage since March 2 was an absurd .946. He’d allowed goal totals of two, one, one and one, most recently in Saturday’s home win against Chicago.

Again, small stretch, but a stunning stretch with a playoff spot in the balance.

“It’s a big advantage on teams that have to rely on one goalie,� Blues coach Jim Montgomery told reporters.

The Blues, clinging onto the last wild-card playoff spot in the West, entered Sunday on a five-game win streak and with a 11-2-2 record since the 4 Nations break. Exemplary hockey. After Sunday’s game against Nashville, the Blues have only 10 games to go. Montgomery said recently that we’ll continue to see some of Joel in goal.

Binnington, of course, starred for Canada in the championship game of 4 Nations, thus making international headlines, a la 2019. And he returned to the Blues playing as if it was 2019. In his first six games since the break, “Binner� went 5-1 with a quite strong .915 save percentage (and consider three of his 12 goals allowed came in relief in the aforementioned 6-3 Dallas debacle). Along the way, he made some silly saves, saving games … and, thus, the season.

“It just brings confidence that he’s going to make the saves that he needs to, and then he’ll make the saves that he’s not expected to,� Blues captain Brayden Schenn said on March 12. “And that’s what you need — you need good goaltending down the stretch, both goalies.�

After that 6-1 stretch after the break, Binnington went 2-1 (leading up to Sunday), but allowed nine goals in the three starts.

Still, entering Sunday, only three NHL teams allowed fewer goals per game than the Bininngton-Hofer Blues since the 4 Nations break.

“It’s just a lot of fun to be playing meaningful hockey at this time of year and down the stretch,� Binnington told me recently. “And we’ve just got to focus. We understand the situation we’re in, but we understand that it takes a lot of work to keep going and keep moving up. So it’s just focusing on one game at a time. And it’s fun — fun around the (dressing) room and in the meetings when guys are playing hard for each other, like this. …

“We’re all in it together. I think that’s what’s the key is right now. From top to bottom, we’re playing the right way, and that’s making our job easier (in goal). It’s really like everyone’s pulling on the rope and finding a way to contribute, and we need everybody — and everyone’s going to have opportunities to step up.�

highlights what it calls NHL EDGE stats. Again, this is entering Sunday, but since the break, Binnington had a plus-13 goal differential (compared to minus-17 before). And while his save percentage is similar on both sides of the break, the Blues are feeding off his play and scoring more. And per the NHL Edge stats, his midrange shot save percentage increase significantly. The league average is .888. Before the break, he was .872, while after he was .891.

“He’s just someone who loves to compete, and he loves the challenge,� Blues forward Jake Neighbours said. “I think it’s something I noticed in ‘Binner,’ whether it’s at hockey or in anything we’re doing, he always looks for something to challenge himself. So I think in hockey, when you know a challenge presents itself — and being in the position we are and how we need points every game — that’s just something that he feeds off of. And it only raises his level. He’s the ultimate competitor.�

Down the stretch we go. Ten games. Six against teams currently in a playoff spot. If you thought things were intense since the 4 Nations break, imagine how wild this final push might get. Yes, the Blues are playing without Parayko. And the Blues are playing to make up for lost time (and lost games) because of bad stretches earlier in the season. But the advantage of two goalies playing like No. 1s could prove to be the difference between making the postseason or not.