Postgame Wrap-Up: Barrie Climbing Scoring Chart

After becoming the highest scoring defenseman in Colorado Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history earlier this season, Tyson Barrie moved his name up closer to the top of the franchise's list of goals by a D-man.
The 27-year-old scored twice to help the Avs put together a 3-0 victory against the New Jersey Devils at Pepsi Center on Sunday afternoon.
Barrie's two goals pushed his point total for the season to 50 (nine goals, 41 assists), the third time in his NHL tenure that he has recorded 50 or more points in a year. He had a career-high 57 points last season and 53 in 2014-15.

The Victoria, British Columbia, native joins Sandis Ozolinsh as the only defensemen in franchise history to produce three 50-point campaigns. Ozolinsh had four such seasons (1995-96, 50; 1996-97, 68; 1997-98, 51; 1999-2000, 52).
Barrie now has 70 career goals and has sole possession of second place on the franchise's all-time list of goals by a blueliner. He is just two tallies shy of matching Ozolinsh's franchise record of 72.
Barrie became the highest scoring rear guard in the franchise's annals when he passed John-Michael Liles with his 276th career point on Jan. 4 against the New York Rangers. Barrie has spent his entire NHL career with Colorado and now has 298 points (70 goals, 228 assists) in 474 outings.
He scored both of his goals against the Devils in the middle frame, the first time that an Avalanche defenseman has scored twice in a stanza since he did it on Jan. 4, 2016 versus the Los Angeles Kings in the second period.
Barrie's first marker came after Nathan MacKinnon was relentless in his effort to get the puck into the slot before losing it briefly. Barrie was able to pick up the loose puck and fire it on net.

"That was pretty sweet. He is such a dynamic player, I think he had like three guys hanging off of him and he was able to bust through the middle," Barrie said of MacKinnon's determination on the play. "It just kind of rolled and I was fortunate. I was just following the play around, and it came right to me. Great play by Nate."
It stood as the game-winner, Barrie's first of the season. He also holds the franchise record for game-winning goals by a defenseman with 17.
His second goal took a different path, as it found twine after Barrie's shot was redirected off of two Devils' skaters.

"It is just how we drew it up. No, I have no idea what happened," Barrie joked of his second goal. "I think I threw a little muffin in there, and it bounced off a couple guys. It's nice to get a bounce every once in a while."
It is Barrie's sixth career game with multiple tallies, the second most by a defenseman in Avalanche history. His first came on Jan. 14, 2014 and only four other NHL rear guards have registered more multi-goal contests subsequently.
Since Barrie became a regular in the NHL in the 2013-14 season, he ranks ninth among all defenseman in the league with 285 points (68 goals, 217 assists).
ANOTHER GRUBI SHUTOUT: Goaltender Philipp Grubauer was between the pipes for Colorado and denied every shot he faced to record his third shutout in his last five starts.
He made 38 saves in his first shutout of the season on Feb. 23 at the Nashville Predators and denied all 18 shots in his second on March 9 against the Buffalo Sabres.
Against the Devils, Grubauer was required to make 22 saves, including 12 in the middle frame and seven on the penalty kill.
One of his biggest stops of the outing came just 30 seconds into the second period when the game was still scoreless. New Jersey created a 2-on-1 rush, and Grubauer was able to get across the crease to make a blocker save.

"I think the biggest thing for me is in a couple of those starts, say Buffalo and tonight, he doesn't get a lot of work but he managed to keep his focus and then make the big save when he needed to," said Bednar. "He made a huge save--I think it was still 0-0 when he made the save to come across--and he has a handful of those mixed in throughout the night and he finds a way to build another shutout."
Over his last six appearances, Gruabauer has recorded a 0.79 goals-against average and .971 save percentage.
"They made it easy for me to read the game, to see some pucks, boxing the guys out in front. So it has been working out, and we need more of that," said the German netminder. "Overall, PK, blocking shots at the right time, letting me see the pucks. We did a really good job back checking. It started I think against Buffalo--we worked hard to get back, not allowing them too many odd-man rushes. It was a good overall game."

NATE HITS 90: Nathan MacKinnon's recorded an assist on Tyson Barrie's first tally and scored a goal of his own to increase his season point total over the 90-point mark.
The Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, native has 91 points (37 goals, 54 assists) through 72 games this campaign.
MacKinnon has now reached the 90-point plateau in two straight campaigns after he posted a career-high 97 points (39 goals, 58 assists) last season. He joins Peter Forsberg (1997-99) as the only players in Avalanche history to record consecutive campaigns of 90 or more points. Forsberg had 91 in 1997-98 and reached 97 in 1998-99.
MacKinnon became the seventh player this season to hit the 90-point mark and ranks tied for fifth in NHL scoring. His 37 goals are tied for eighth in the league for tallies.
The 23-year-old forward also finished the outing with six shots on net to bring his season total to 317, passing Claude Lemieux (315) and moving into third place on the franchise's list for shots in a season. Joe Sakic holds first and second place with 339 shots in 1995-96 and 332 in 2000-01.
11 AND SEVEN:Head coach Jared Bednar switched up the lineup and went with the unconventional 11 forwards and seven defensemen as opposed to the traditional usage of 12 skaters up front and six rear guards.
Rookie defenseman Ryan Graves was back in the lineup, and he had four shot attempts, two hits and two blocked shots in 11:21 of ice time. Forward Andrew Agozzino served as the team's lone healthy scratch.

MORE AVALANCHE NOTES: The Avalanche wrapped up its season series against the Devils, finishing 2-0-0 against New Jersey. It's Colorado's first season sweep of the Devils since the 2015-16 campaign.
The matchup was the Avs' 32nd and final regular-season game against an Eastern Conference opponent this year. They finished 16-10-6 against the East, including posting a 9-5-2 mark at Pepsi Center.
The outing closed out a four-game homestand for the Avalanche, which finished 2-2-0 on the home stay. It was also the fifth of six afternoon contests in the Mile High City. The Avs are now 3-2-0 in day games on home ice and 6-4-2 overall in afternoon outings.
Colorado played at home on St. Patrick's Day for the first time since 2010, and it is now 6-3-1 all-time on March 17, 3-1-0 at home.
Sven Andrighetto picked up his second multi-point game of the season, matching a career high (18 times - last: Feb. 20 versus Winnipeg). He has three points (one goal, two assists) over his last two outings.