DENVER- Paul Stastny scored his first goal against his former team, Jake Allen stopped 27 shots, and the St. Louis Blues ended a five-game skid by beating the Colorado Avalanche 3-0 on Sunday night.
Stastny got the Blues going with a power-play goal early in the first period, his first score in 11 career games against Colorado. He spent eight seasons with the Avalanche before leaving for St. Louis.
Kyle Brodziak and Patrik Berglund also scored for the Blues, who moved into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Allen was shaken up with just more than three minutes remaining when Gabriel Landeskog's wrist shot appeared to hit him awkwardly. He was checked out by trainers before finishing off his third shutout of the season.
The last-place Avalanche were blanked for the 11th time this season.
Berglund scored on a power play in the second to give the Blues a 3-0 lead. It ended a seven-game goal drought and also marked his first since signing a five-year extension worth $19.25 million on Feb. 25.
Allen made one big save after another, especially in the second when he thwarted Rene Bourque's breakaway attempt by stopping the shot with his chest. With around 30 seconds left, he stopped another shot by Bourque.
This was the second half of a back-to-back for the Avalanche. They were routed 6-1 in Winnipeg, leading Landeskog to say the squad looked ''like a junior C team.''
Once again, the Avalanche came out sluggish in dropping their fourth straight game.
Stastny and Brodziak scored 1:37 apart in the first to help the slumping Blues get back on track. Stastny's goal was set up off a precision pass by Jaden Schwartz from down low. Stastny celebrated by pumping both his gloves. He still ranks ninth on the Avalanche's all-time points list (458).
Brodziak added another goal by firing in a shot after an Avalanche turnover near the net.
Jeremy Smith was in goal a night after Calvin Pickard was pulled against the Jets after allowing five goals in 29 minutes.
Forward Sven Andrighetto made his first appearance with the Avalanche. He was acquired in a deal with Montreal, but didn't join the team in Winnipeg as he waited for a visa.
He was thrown ''right in the fire'' - coach Jared Bednar's description - by being paired on the second line with Matt Duchene and Mikko Rantanen. Andrighetto turns 24 on March 21 and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
NOTES: Blues D Jordan Schmaltz made his NHL debut. ... LW Zach Sanford was a scratch. He was acquired as part of the recent trade that sent Kevin Shattenkirk to Washington. ... Schwartz appeared in his 300th career game. He played at Colorado College in nearby Colorado Springs.
UP NEXT
Blues: At the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday to wrap up a three-game trip.
Avalanche: Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
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