The Colorado Avalanche didn’t just beat the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night - they answered a question.
After the Avs opened the season with an 8-4 win over the LA Kings, the offense had its believers. The defense, though, still had some proving to do.
One game later, Colorado put together a far cleaner statement, rolling past St. Louis 6-1 and making the night look one-sided from the start of the second period on.
That was especially impressive considering the Blues were on tired legs after a 4-0 shutout win over the Dallas Stars the night before. Colorado came out and squeezed the life out of the game early, holding St. Louis to just four shots in the first period and building a 2-0 lead in the second before the result ever felt in doubt.
The Blues finally got on the board in the third period, ending MacKenzie Blackwood’s shutout bid, but by then the Avalanche had already slammed the door. Colorado did it despite going 0-for-4 on the power play, and while the turnovers and giveaways were better than they were in the opener, they still weren’t perfect.
Still, the bigger picture was hard to miss: this was a team that went after a worn-down opponent and controlled it. The final score matched the way the Avalanche played, and it sent the message that Colorado can bring plenty more than just firepower.
Nathan MacKinnon finished with three assists, Martin Necas posted two goals and one assist, and Cale Makar added a goal in more than 20 minutes of ice time.
The strangest part of the night came from Jordan Binnington, who handed Colorado two brutal gifts.
On the first, Binnington tried to move the puck up the middle, only for Artturi Lehkonen to knock it down and score into an empty net. That made it 4-0 and basically ended any realistic chance for St. Louis.
Later, Binnington had another costly mistake behind the net, and Colorado turned that into a 6-0 lead late in the second period. It was the 16th goal Binnington has allowed in his last three games against the Avalanche.
As ugly as that stretch was for St. Louis, it also underlined how relentless Colorado can be when it forechecks. The Avalanche kept pressure on, forced mistakes, and turned those mistakes into goals.
Colorado is back on the ice Wednesday night.
In Other News...
Artturi Lehkonen Is Giving The Avalanche A Tough Decision Fast
Artturi Lehkonen has wasted no time making his presence felt for Colorado, opening the NHL season with three goals in two games for the best two-game start of his career. It is the kind of early surge that fits his reputation, because coaches and teammates have long pointed to his work ethic, competitiveness and reliable style as the reasons he keeps showing up in key moments for the Avalanche.
The timing, though, adds another layer for Colorado to sort through. Lehkonen is in the final year of his current contract and still does not have a new deal in place, which means the Avalanche are already getting a reminder of how valuable he can be while facing an increasingly tough decision about what comes next. When a player who has built his value on consistency starts scoring this quickly, the conversation tends to move beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Bring Early Firepower Into First Showdown With The Blues
The Avalanche wasted no time showing what their offense can look like this season, putting up eight goals in their opener against the Kings and setting a franchise mark for scoring in a season opener. Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen each scored twice, and that kind of balance is exactly what Colorado wants to carry into a long season where the Central Division offers little room for slow starts.
St. Louis arrives in Denver with a different kind of opening statement after blanking the Stars 4-0 behind Joel Hofers 25-save shutout. The Blues and Avalanche are set to meet four times this season, beginning at Ball Arena, and the contrast in their first games adds a little extra bite to a series both sides will be watching closely from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Stars Turned This Into A Statement Against St. Louis Early
Cale Makar and Martin Necas wasted little time setting the tone against St. Louis, striking early to give Colorado a two-goal lead in the first period. It was the kind of start the Avalanche were looking for, with the pace and pressure quickly putting the Blues on their heels and giving Colorado a chance to dictate the game from the jump.
Josh Manson and Nicolas Roy kept the momentum rolling in the second period, extending the cushion and turning an already strong opening into a comfortable advantage. Colorado controlled much of the night and made the most of its scoring chances, a performance that looked less like a routine win and more like a statement delivered early and reinforced all game long. [Read more 🡒]