Blues coach Mike Yeo says he wanted advancement, not revenge

Mike Yeo knew it was an irresistible story line. A former coach, unceremoniously fired 14 months earlier, faces his previous employer in the first round of the NHL playoffs, giving him a shot at the ultimate payback.

From the start of St. Louis' series against the Wild, Yeo — the former Wild coach, now overseeing the Blues — insisted it wasn't about personal revenge. "I don't want it to be a story,'' he said. "My goal is not to beat the Minnesota Wild for me. My goal is for us as a group to keep getting better, and keep seeing what we're capable of.''

With Saturday's 4-3 victory in Game 5, the Blues earned the right to see what they can do in the second round. They wrapped up the series in an arena where Yeo spent five seasons as the Wild's head coach, continuing an ascent that began when he took over behind the Blues' bench on Feb. 1.

The Blues now are 26-9-2 since Yeo became head coach, including a 19-3-2 record in their past 24 games. That includes a 4-0 record at Xcel Energy Center. Saturday, Yeo remained on the high road — and so did the Wild, whose general manager, Chuck Fletcher, visited Yeo in the coaches' room to offer postgame congratulations.

"It's not about me, and I've been sincere when I've said that,'' said Yeo, who added he also received good wishes from Wild players in the handshake line. "I don't think what I'm feeling right now would be any different if it was any other team.

"Obviously, it's a little bit of irony that I'm facing my former team. But our goal is to advance in the playoffs, and for our group to continue to grow and have a chance to keep competing for a Stanley Cup.''

The Blues will face Nashville in the second round. It will mark Yeo's third trip to the conference semifinals, and his first playing a team other than Chicago. Under Yeo, the Wild advanced to the playoffs in three consecutive years and lost to the Blackhawks in the second round in both 2014 and 2015.

Though Yeo said his first firing was "gut-wrenching,'' he reiterated Saturday that it was an illuminating experience. He forced himself to reflect on what he might have done better, which has helped him improve his leadership skills and the way he handles some situations. It also helped him relate to a team that appeared to hit bottom in February.

His steady hand guided the Blues to a superb finish. Before the series, Yeo said the Blues needed to prove to themselves they were good enough to beat the Wild. Though he stressed there was "too much at stake'' for him to indulge a grudge, forward Kyle Brodziak — a former Wild player — acknowledged there might be some extra satisfaction in the first-round upset.

"You don't ever talk about it or think about it,'' Brodziak said. "But I'm sure it's in the back of your mind a little bit, what it means for him. At the same time, we know what our ultimate goal is.''

After the game, the coach who now wears the blue note added a grace note. Yeo lauded his former team for its persistence during the series and the season.