Avalanche make another statement in 6-1 rout of Blues

There were questions about the Colorado Avalanche’s 8-4 win over the LA Kings in their season opener. While there was no doubt about the Avs’ offense, there were some concerns about the defensive side of the equation.

Well, it seems that those questions could have fallen by the wayside after Colorado pounded the St. Louis Blues 6-1 on Saturday night.

The Avalanche were facing a tired Blues side, who were coming off a 4-0 shutout win over the Dallas Stars the night before.

And it showed.

The Avs got off to a 2-0 lead in the second period and didn’t look back. The Blues had just four shots in the first period, pretty much setting the tone for the night.

In the end, the Blues got on the board in the third period, breaking MacKenzie Blackwood’s shutout bid.

It was too little, too late for St. Louis, with Colorado putting the clamps on the night. Despite going 0-for-4 on the power play, the Avalanche left no doubt that they are a solid defensive team. The turnovers and giveaways from the first game improved, though they were a little too high for everyone’s liking.

The overall score reflected what Colorado needed to do. The club had to pound a tired, seemingly inferior opponent. They did that, making a clear statement that the Avs remain the NHL’s best team.

All told, Nathan MacKinnon ended the night with three helpers, Martin Necas had two goals and one assist, and Cale Makar had a quiet night, scoring one goal in over 20 minutes of ice time.

Avalanche's two gifts from Jordan Binnington highlight crucial strength

One of the most bizarre aspects of Saturday night’s game was the two egregious misplays by St. Louis netminder Jordan Binnington.

Let’s look at the first one:

In this sequence, Binnington attempted to clear the puck by shooting it right up the middle. However, he didn’t count on Artturi Lehkonen knocking the puck down and filling the empty net. The game was 4-0 following that goal, essentially putting it out of reach for the Blues.

But that wasn’t the only faux pas from Binnington. Here’s another:

Another misplay, this time behind the net, allowed the Avalanche to make the game 6-0 late in the second period. The inexplicable meltdown marked the 16th goal Binnington surrendered in his last three games against the Avalanche.

It was a tough outing, to say the least. But it also spoke volumes about just how dangerous Colorado is as a forechecking team. This is a club that doesn’t back down, hence creating these scoring opportunities practically out of nothing.

The Avalanche will be back on the ice on Wednesday night as they take on the Winnipeg Jets.

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