GDT #45: Blues vs. Avs | 2:00 pm CT | NBC, ESPN101
Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2021 8:00 am
WHAT TO WATCH
Robert Thomas will return to the lineup Saturday after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Thomas has been out since April 9 against Minnesota.
THE SERIES SO FAR
Jan. 13: Blues 4, Avalanche 1
Mike Hoffman expected to make his Blues debut but was a last-minute scratch due to his work visa still needing approval. Without Hoffman on the second line, Oskar Sundqvist was promoted and delivered immediately, netting two goals in a 4-1 win on Opening Night. Jordan Kyrou and Kyle Clifford also scored in the victory. Jordan Binnington made 26 saves in his first win of the season.
Jan. 15: Avalanche 8, Blues 0
Colorado scored five times on the power play in an 8-0 rout of the Blues in the second game of the season. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists, while Gabriel Landeskog scored twice, in an 8-0 victory.
April 2: Avalanche 3, Blues 2
Colorado got two goals from Nathan MacKinnon to lift the Avalanche to a 3-2 win against the Blues on April 2. The win extended Colorado's point streak to 13 games while the Blues were kept without a win in their fifth straight game. David Perron had a goal and an assist, Mike Hoffman added a goal, and Jordan Binnington made 36 saves in the loss. Ivan Barbashev returned to the lineup after missing 18 games with an ankle injury.
April 3: Avalanche 2, Blues 1
The Blues put forth a strong effort to snap a winless streak, but Cale Makar scored in the final minute to give Colorado the edge in a 2-1 win at Ball Arena. The win extended Colorado's point streak to 14 games.
April 14: Avalanche 4, Blues 3
Devan Dubnyk made his debut with the Avalanche after starting goalie Philipp Grubauer was placed in the League's COVID protocol earlier in the day. Dubnyk made 31 saves in his debut and fended off a third-period push from the Blues, who eventually fell 4-3. Mike Hoffman scored twice, while Vince Dunn also tallied for St. Louis.
April 23: Avalanche 4, Blues 2
Jaden Schwartz scored two goals, but Colorado's Andre Burakovsky matched it with two of his own while Brandon Saad also lit the lamp for the Avalanche, helping them to a 4-2 win against the Blues. The win helped Colorado become the second team to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
BOTTOM LINE: Nathan MacKinnon and Colorado hit the ice against St. Louis. He ranks seventh in the in the league with 56 points, scoring 17 goals and totaling 39 assists.
The Blues are 19-19-6 in division games. St. Louis has given up 34 power-play goals, killing 75.9% of opponent chances.
The Avalanche are 31-9-4 against the rest of their division. Colorado averages 10 points per game to lead the NHL, recording 3.6 goals and 6.4 assists per game.
The teams meet for the second game in a row.
TOP PERFORMERS: David Perron leads the Blues with 42 points, scoring 13 goals and adding 29 assists. Vince Dunn has 8 points over the last 10 games for St. Louis.
MacKinnon leads the Avalanche with 39 total assists and has 56 points. Gabriel Landeskog has 13 points over the last 10 games for Colorado.
LAST 10 GAMES: Blues: 3-6-1, averaging 2.8 goals, 5.2 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game with a .913 save percentage.
Avalanche: 9-1-0, averaging four goals, 7.2 assists, 5.8 penalties and 14.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game with a .907 save percentage.
INJURIES: Blues: Carl Gunnarsson: out for season (lower body), Oskar Sundqvist: out for season (knee), Robert Thomas: out (upper body).
Avalanche: Matt Calvert: out (undisclosed), Dennis Gilbert: out (face), Philipp Grubauer: day to day (health protocols), Joonas Donskoi: day to day (covid-19), Mikko Rantanen: out (covid-19).
