TEAM SNAPSHOTS
BLUES The St. Louis Blues stepped up to the challenge in a Saturday night battle in Las Vegas. The Golden Knights had won nine straight games and possessed the NHL's best record before the Blues came to town.
St. Louis showed perserverance and teamwork when they rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the second period to win it 3-2, their second in a row after a tumultous losing streak over the last couple of weeks.
"We played a great game, we're playing good hockey, we're working hard and we're earning everything," said Jordan Binnington. "It's good to see, and it's good to be a part of."
Binnington was excellent in net, making 34 saves - including 22 in the third period while holding the lead - to match his season high and earn his fifth win of the year.
He and the Blues continue on to Colorado, a familiar foe most recently seen in the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Prior to suffering a lower-body injury in Game 3, Binnington had made 84 saves on 88 shots (.955) against Colorado in that series.
As the Blues look to climb up in the standings, they bring a 5-8-0 record to Ball Arena, worth 10 points in the fewest games played in the Central Division.
AVALANCHE After coming out of the gate to a middling 2-2-1 start, the defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche have begun to build steam, winning four in a row as they prepare to host the Blues on Monday.
Over the four-game stretch, which began with a pair of games vs. Columbus in Helsinki, Finland, the Avalanche have outscored their opponents 20-8.
Playing without captain Gabriel Landeskog, who underwent knee surgery prior to the season, top contributors Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar have stepped up to drive their high-flying offense. Their 3.69 goals-per-game mark shares No. 2 in the NHL, thus far improving on their No. 4 finish from last season.
Two notable names have departed the Avs since winning the Playoff series with St. Louis 4-2 last May: Nazem Kadri - who led the club in scoring over that series - signed with the Calgary Flames, and goaltender Darcy Kuemper joined the Washington Capitals.
As Colorado continues their Stanley Cup title defense, they share first place in the Central Division with 17 points and a record of 8-4-1.
HEAD-TO-HEAD The Blues finished 1-2-0 against the Avalanche in the regular season last year, with the win coming on the opening night of their season at Ball Arena. In their last trip to Colardo during the 2022 Playoffs, the Blues won a memorable overtime thriller in Game 5 to keep the series alive.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
BLUES Ryan O'Reilly, credited with the game-winning goal on Saturday in his 300th game as a Blue. O'Reilly, who spent six years with the Avs to begin his career, has scored 29 points in 24 career games against Colorado.
AVALANCHE Nathan MacKinnon, who continues to be one of the most dangerous passing threats in the NHL. MacKinnon's 19 assists this season share the League lead, and he has a blistering 13 points in his last five games.
BLUE NOTES
Several Blues moms have joined the team for their road trip, finishing in Chicago on Wednesday... In their last two games (vs. San Jose, at Vegas), the Blues have not taken a penalty, marking the first time in franchise history the Blues have recorded no penalties in consecutive games played... The Blues are 3-1-0 this season when leading after the first period and are 3-0-0 when leading after two periods... The Blues are 3-2-0 in their last five regular season games against Colorado.
The St. Louis Blues just ended the longest winning streak in the NHL this season, and now they are going after another one.
St. Louis, which has won two straight after dropping eight in a row, beat red-hot Vegas on the road Saturday night to end the Golden Knights' nine-game winning streak. Now the Blues travel to face the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night at Denver.
Colorado has won four in a row, which isn't quite what Vegas had done, but the reigning champions have started to string victories together. The Avalanche have a chance to sweep their three-game homestand before playing eight of their next 10 on the road.
This will be the first time the Blues have visited Denver since losing in the second round of last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs in six games. Goaltender Jordan Binnington, who was knocked out of that series in the third game, is coming off a 34-save performance against Vegas. He made 22 saves in the third period of the 3-2 win.
St. Louis is trying to get back to its level from four years ago, when it went on a surprising run to win the Stanley Cup. The eight-game skid -- all regulation losses -- negated a quick start to the year but head coach Craig Berube has seen signs of bouncing back after the Blues beat San Jose 5-3 and then the Golden Knights.
"We're building. We're doing a good job," Berube said after Saturday's win. "This was a better game than the last one. We have to keep getting better. ... Puck play has been solid, not making too many turnovers. Overall, when you have good puck play, it keeps teams from not getting freebies."
Colorado has been winning despite mounting personnel losses. In the past two weeks, the Avalanche have lost Valeri Nichushkin, Bowen Byram, Sam Girard and Shane Bowers to injuries, and then endured another when Kurtis MacDermid left Saturday's win over Carolina with a lower-body injury.
Nichushkin, Byram and Bowers, who was hurt in his NHL debut on Tuesday, are out for multiple weeks.
"In the room, doesn't matter who's in, who's out, who we have in the lineup, just go try and execute and compete and get wins," J.T. Compher said after the 4-1 win over the Hurricanes.
It helps when the stars come through as they did Saturday. Cale Makar, who won the Norris and Conn Smythe trophies last season, had two goals and Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen had the others.
"I don't think it has to just be us," Makar said. "We obviously want to step up and make sure that we're doing the things right to help our team win every single night."
MacKinnon's goal was just his fourth of the year and his first since Oct. 22, but he has done plenty to help Colorado win. MacKinnon is tied for the NHL lead in assists with 19.
"He's an incredible player and obviously he brings it every single night so I have no issues with him not scoring many goals right now," Makar said. "He's obviously making a lot of plays."
