Preview: The Blues (39-28-7) are one of the hottest teams in the NHL, going for their 9th win in a row, and the Colorado Avalanche (45-25-3) are at the top of the rankings. The Avs are 7th in the league on the power play, so the Blues must stay out of the penalty box. Jordan Binnington (9-2 in his last 11 games) gets the start in the net, and Mackenzie Blackwood is in the opposite end. Both goalies are on winning streaks. Pavel Buchnevich is back in after missing 4 games…Texier sits.
Each team gets on the board in the 1st period
The game starts with both teams making early point-blank chances in the first two minutes. Five minutes in, the Blues have the edge in shots, 4 to 3.
No score through 10 minutes and shots are tied at seven.
At 10:20, Colorado takes a delay of game penalty, and the Blues go to the power play. And 37 seconds into the PP, a silky pass from Robert Thomas to Zack Bolduc is one-timed past the glove to make it 1 to 0. Oskar Sundqvist with the 2nd assist. Zack’s 16th of the season
The Avs come back when a puck finds its way to MacKinnon standing alone at the side of the net and bangs it home…his 30th…no chance for Binnington. 1-to-1, a minute and 10 seconds later.
The period ends tied and 1. Shots 11 to 10 in favor of the Avalanche.
No goals in period 2
At the halfway point of the period we are still tied at 1 and shots are 14 to 13 on favor of Colorado…few an far between in the period. Physical game so far with some big hits by each team. Blues with 18 hits and Avs with 16.
With 4:33 left, Brayden Schenn trips up an Av player, and they go to the powerplay, where they score 25.7% of the time. The Blues allowed 3 shots…but held them scoreless as Binnington flashed the leather.
After 2 periods it remains 1-1. Avs with the edge in shots 18 to 14.
Blues take the lead an hang on in the 3rd…
With 16:33 left, the Avs take an interference penalty…and the Blues are on the powerplay…scoring 9 on their last 25 PPs…but only 1 shot on this PP as they struggled getting control in the offensive zone.
Another Avs penalty with 14:03 left: MacKinnon trips up Radek Faksa as he was alone in front of the net…Howe had no shots on this power play.
Pavel Buchnevich jams in a rebound with 11:06 left off a Ryan Suter shot from the point…Thomas with the 2nd assist on Buchnevich’s 15th of the year. 2 to 1 Blues.
The Avalanche take another penalty with 9:34 left…a high stick from Bolduc. The Blues make a much better effort at moving the puck on this man advantage and have tied the shots at 25 for the game.
5 MINUTES!! Shots are tied at 26…Avs with a solid minute and 20 seconds of intense pressure…Avs pull the goalie with 1:45 left…Avs have scored nine, six, and five goals this season…the Blues hold on for their 9th in a row…an amazing last-minute blocking shots and Binnington shutting the door at the end. WOW, what a game!!! Shots finished at 29 to 27.
Blues win 2 to 1.