In Denver, Matt Nieto‘s late empty-net goal sealed a 4-2 win for the Colorado Avalanche over the St Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon.
The Avs had taken a 3-0 lad in the game and then had to hold of a surge from St Louis who closed the gap to 3-2 in the third period.
Alexandar Georgiev made 26 saves in the Avs win.
“I liked the game. I thought it was a good hockey game,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “I thought we were in complete control of it until they got some life off power plays at the end of the second period. I thought coming off a game where guys can be tense (a 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday), we know it’s a big four-point divisional game, (and) guys came out hard and played hard with good purpose.”
Colorado improved to 27-18-3.
Alex Newhook got the Colorado offense in gear when he staked the Avs to a 1-0 lead in the first period.
“Great puck by ‘OC’ there to get it past the ‘D,’ and just coming through the middle, thought I could beat him with the first shot, but came back to me and put it in,” Newhook said. “Feeling good, getting to the right areas, I think. Guys are getting me the puck. Got to give a lot of credit to my linemates, too.”
The Blues dropped to 23-24-3.
“They start fast and they make you turn and go back for pucks a lot,” St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. “I thought we were actually OK. We lost the puck battle on the one goal on the wall, and the second goal we got the puck out but they punched it back. The positive of the game is we had a real good third period and we really pushed hard. That’s a competitiveness we need to see all game.”
Colorado pushed the lead out to 2-0 in the first off a marker form J.T. Compher
Evan Rodrigues ballooned the lead to 3-0 in the middle frame.
“I saw all three forwards in front of me, [and] I knew Nate was kind of turning out that way and just tipped it to him,” Rodrigues said. “I thought maybe if the ‘D’ stepped up on me he might have enough space to just drive wide, but just gave it to him during the rush and just caught it and shot it.
“Look at any team that is at the top of the League. They’ve all [got] three or four lines that score, and our ‘D’ are contributing and we’re just kind of firing on all cylinders right now.”
St Louis got one back in the second period on a rebound goal from Brayden Schenn.
“They dictated the play in the first (period). They’re a team that starts fast, especially in their building, and we understood it,” the Blues Tory Krug said. “At times we show that we’re still capable of winning games and still capable of beating good hockey teams. It’s been few and far between lately, but we have the ability. So, it’s just about showing up with the right mentality and doing the work and not making any excuses.”
St Louis’ Ivan Barbashev made the score 3-2 in the third period.
“It just started from the defensive zone, so I kind of saw a chance to poke it from the guy,” Barbashev said. “Just glad I got a breakaway.”
Jordan Binnington made 27 saves in the St Louis loss.
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