Shorthanded Avalanche rallies late but loses to Blues

It was a substance of hockey players successful the Avalanche salary-cap compliant lineup connected Saturday night.

Coach Jared Bednar said helium would usage a “blender” to make it, and the Avs astir whipped it into a win.

But COVID-19 protocol, injuries, and a suspension constricted Colorado’s firepower, and a fistful of AHL regulars and goalie Darcy Kuemper weren’t bully rather capable against the St. Louis Blues astatine Ball Arena.

Perhaps immoderate would see it a motivation victory, but the Blues — contempt being outshot and blowing a precocious three-goal pb — skated disconnected with a 5-3 triumph successful their play opener connected the spot of David Perron’s 2 goals and immoderate luck astatine the end.

The Avs, who were playing their 2nd crippled of the season, were missing prima halfway Nathan MacKinnon, squad skipper Gabe Landeskog and a full batch more.

However, they rallied for 2 goals precocious successful the 3rd play making it 4-3 with 3:42 remaining, and appeared to necktie it a infinitesimal later. But Tyson Jost’s 2nd extremity didn’t count, arsenic officials said helium utilized a chiseled kicking question to enactment the puck past goalie Jordan Binnington.

Former Avs halfway Ryan O’Reilly scored an empty-net extremity with 19.3 seconds remaining.

“We’re arrogant of the mode we fought tonight, particularly being down 4-1 late,” said Avs guardant J.T. Compher, who had the 3rd extremity making it a 4-3 game. “Nobody connected the seat gave up. We’re arrogant of the effort.

“Everyone stayed committed. Like I said before, we ne'er gave up.”

Defenseman Jack Johnson became the Avs’ 4th nonaccomplishment successful the opening week of the play erstwhile the squad announced helium joined MacKinnon successful COVID protocol. Forwards Landeskog (suspension) and Valeri Nichushkin (upper-body injury) were besides unavailable. Defenseman Devon Toews and goalie Pavel Francouz began the play connected injured reserve, truthful the Avs were missing six players from an perfect lineup.

Colorado had conscionable 17 skaters and 2 goalies successful the lineup to beryllium headdress compliant with the league.

“Put it this way, it’s going to beryllium a blender,” Bednar said of his lineup aft the greeting skate.

After the game, Bednar said: “A nonaccomplishment is simply a nonaccomplishment but I deliberation you cognize maine good capable by present —  I’m not going to justice our squad connected conscionable results each the time. I deliberation the guys played hard — they were resilient passim the game.”

The Avs were down to 10 forwards erstwhile Stefan Matteau, who was recalled from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on with guardant Dylan Sikura connected Friday, near the crippled with a lower-body wounded aboriginal successful the 2nd period.

Shortly thereafter, Blues guardant Brayden Schenn skated past caller Avs defenseman Kurtis MacDermid and bushed Kuemper with a wrist changeable to springiness the visitors a 3-0 lead. Kuemper allowed 3 goals connected conscionable 14 shots astatine that point.

MacDermid, who was the lone steadfast scratch successful Wednesday’s 4-2 opening-night triumph implicit the Chicago Blackhawks, was replacing Johnson.

St. Louis outscored the Avs 2-1 successful the 2nd play contempt Colorado producing 16 of 21 shots successful the period. Andre Burakovsky had the Avs’ goal, and the crystal was against tilted successful the host’s favour successful the 3rd play until rookie Sampo Ranta was assessed an interference insignificant and Perron scored with 4 seconds remaining connected the powerfulness play.

“You ne'er privation to suffer and we don’t travel into the crippled contiguous going like, ‘Oh, I mightiness arsenic good conscionable try.’ Our extremity was to triumph tonight,” Avs defenseman Cale Makar said. “Obviously, didn’t travel up with that but astatine the aforesaid time, it’s adversity that we knew it was going to beryllium pugnacious and I’m arrogant of the team.”

Colorado (1-1) embarks connected a three-game roadworthy travel that goes done the Washington Capitals connected Tuesday, the Florida Panthers connected Thursday, and the Tampa Bay Lightning connected Saturday. Landeskog volition implicit his suspension against the Capitals. MacKinnon, who had a affirmative COVID trial connected Monday and besides missed the opener, could beryllium backmost for the adjacent game.

Footnote. Schenn and Avs halfway Nazem Kadri fought conscionable 40 seconds into the game. It was evidently Schenn’s thought and successful effect to Kadri’s check-to-the-head of Blues defenseman Justin Faulk successful Game 2 of past season’s first-round playoff series. Kadri was assessed an eight-game suspension for the deed that forced Faulk to miss Games 3 and 4 of that bid with a concussion. “I thought (Kadri) did a large occupation of answering the doorbell and. And past it was implicit and we got started playing hockey,” Compher said.