Rapid Recap: Avalanche 4, Blues 3

J.T. Compher scored twice to help the Colorado Avalanche earn a 4-3 win against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on Thursday.
Colton Parayko netted the game's first tally and Compher tied the contest at 1-1 before the first intermission. In the second period, Compher scored his second of the night before Nazem Kadri extended the Avalanche lead with his second goal of the year.
The clubs alternated goals in the third with Cale Makar scoring between Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko's markers. Tarasenko also had a helper in the contest.
Makar also had an assist and increased his career totals to 100 points. Ryan Murray also had a multi-point night with two helpers.

The Avalanche went 1-for-5 on the power play and killed off its only short-handed situation in the outing.
Colorado and St. Louis have now split their first two meetings of the year. The three-game season series will conclude on April 26 at Ball Arena.
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Highlights

THE GOALS

1st Period
9:21 STL (0-1) - Colton Parayko's shot from the right point got through Darcy Kuemper and into the Avalanche net.
18:12 COL (1-1) - Ryan Murray's shot from the point was tipped by J.T. Compher and hit twine.
2nd Period
11:33 COL (2-1) - PPG, J.T. Compher scored his second of the night from the slot after Andre Burakovsky set him up for a one-timer.
14:40 COL (3-1) - Logan O'Connor passed to Nazem Kadri in the neutral zone and Kadri scored short side from the right circle.
3rd Period
4:13 STL (3-2) - Jordan Kyrou passed the puck to Brayden Schenn who tapped it into the net on the backdoor.
4:51 COL (4-2) - Nathan MacKinnon passed through traffic from the left circle to Cale Makar in the high slot and he scored.
16:01 STL (4-3) - Vladimir Tarasenko cut's St. Louis' deficit in half on the rush up ice.
Final: Avalanche - 4 | Blues - 3

POWER PLAYS

Colorado:1 for 5
St. Louis: 0 for 1

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Colorado:Darcy Kuemper made 15 saves.
St. Louis: Jordan Binnington allowed four goals on 42 shots.

STAT OF THE NIGHT

Cale Makar had a goal and an assist to reach 100 points in his career. He has skated in 108 regular-season games, tying Sergei Zubov as the sixth-fastest defenseman to hit the century mark. The only other blueliners to do it faster are Harry Cameron (88), Mark Howe (94), Brian Leetch (102), Larry Murphy (105) and Phil Housley (106).

NOTEBOOK

J.T. Compher scored two goals for the first time this year and the sixth time in his career… So far this year, Compher has four markers, the most on the team, and six points. Three of his tallies have come against St. Louis… Ryan Murray picked up his first two points in an Avalanche sweater, collecting two assists… It appeared that Sampo Ranta scored at 2:54 of the first period but the play was determined to be off-side and it did not count… The Avalanche is now 1-1-0 against the Blues this year. The teams will conclude the season series on April 16 at Ball Arena.

BIG HIGHLIGHT

ROSTER REPORT

Jacob MacDonald played his first game of the year but not in his usual position. The defenseman filled in as a wing, skating on a trio with Darren Helm and Jayson Megna. Darcy Kuemper played his sixth game of the season.

INJURY UPDATE

Mikko Rantanen left the ice during Colorado's morning skate and did not play with an undisclosed injury. Defenseman Samuel Girard (upper body) did not travel with the team to St. Louis after he took to the ice on his own on Wednesday, but did not join the group for practice. Blueliner Devon Toews has been approved for controlled contact and could make his season debut sometime next week. Valeri Nichushkin (upper body) and goaltender Pavel Francouz (lower body) have started skating on their own but remain out week-to-week. Stefan Matteau will be out for weeks with a lower-body injury he suffered on Oct. 16.

UP NEXT

Colorado goes back to Ball Arena for two games, hosting the Minnesota Wild in a Division Rivalry game on Saturday and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.

LINE COMBINATIONS

Based on the start of the game
Forwards
92 Gabriel Landeskog - 29 Nathan MacKinnon - 96 Mikko Rantanen
75 Sampo Ranta - 91 Nazem Kadri - 25 Logan O'Connor
17 Tyson Jost - 37 J.T. Compher - 61 Martin Kaut
43 Darren Helm - 12 Jayson Megna - 26 Jacob MacDonald
Defensemen
4 Bowen Byram - 8 Cale Makar
3 Jack Johnson - 6 Erik Johnson
56 Kurtis MacDermid - 28 Ryan Murray
Goaltenders
35 Darcy Kuemper
31 Jonas Johansson