04/07/26 09:51:00
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04/07 21:50 CDT Avalanche beat the Blues 3-1 to clinch Central Division and top
seed in the Western Conference
Avalanche beat the Blues 3-1 to clinch Central Division and top seed in the
Western Conference
By JOE HARRIS
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) --- Valeri Nichushkin scored twice and Colorado Avalanche beat
the St. Louis Blues 3-1 on Tuesday night to clinch the Central Division and the
top seed in the Western Conference.
It is the third time in five seasons, and first since 2023, that the Avalanche
finished as the top team in the conference.
Martin Necas also scored and Scott Wedgewood made 18 saves for Colorado, which
has earned points in eight of its last 11 games.
Wedgewood was shaken up midway through the third period after Philip Broberg
made contact with him after being tripped by Sam Malinski. Wedgewood was driven
awkwardly into the post and stayed down for several minutes, but remained in
the game.
Robert Thomas scored and Joel Hofer made 34 saves for the Blues, whose slim
playoff hope took a hit with the loss.
Colorado outshot St. Louis 17-3 in the first period and had a two-goal lead as
a result.
Nichushkin gave the Avalanche the lead with 3:49 left in the first and Necas
made it 2-0 with 27.7 seconds left in the period, scoring off a feed from
Nathan Mackinnon feed.
Nichushkin added to the Colorado advantage with a short-handed goal at the 1:40
mark of the second. It was Colorado's second short-handed goal of the season
and first since November 8.
Thomas got the Blues on the board with 4:22 left in the second. It was the
sixth goal in the last four games for Thomas, who had a hat trick against
Colorado on Sunday.
Nicholas Roy returned to the Colorado lineup after missing seven games to an
upper-body injury.
Up next
Avalanche: Hosts Calgary on Thursday night.
Blues: Host Winnipeg on Thursday night.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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