Eurolanche

Shootout win against the Blues

The St. Louis Blues clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center on Friday.

The Blues (42-28-7) needed one point to qualify for their sixth consecutive trip to the postseason and 41st in their 50-year history. They have a two-point lead over the Nashville Predators for third place in the Central Division. Both teams have five games remaining.

Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon scored against Jake Allen in the shootout and J.T. Compher scored in the second period for the Avalanche (21-53-3).

Calvin Pickard stopped Alexander Steen and Vladimir Tarasenko for the Avalanche, who broke a seven-game losing streak. Ryan Reaves scored at 12:29 in the first period for the Blues.

The Avalanche tied the game 1-1 at 11:49 on a power-play goal by Compher. MacKinnon took a shot after stickhandling down the slot and through the Blues defense. Allen made the save, but Compher scored on the rebound for his third goal. Colorado was 1-for-24 on power plays in the previous nine games.

Reaves gave the Blues a 1-0 with his fifth goal. Kyle Brodziak won a faceoff in the right circle and drew the puck back to Jordan Schmaltz, who passed down the right wing boards to Scottie Upshall for a shot that Reaves tipped past Pickard.

Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo sustained an upper-body injury in the second period and didn't return.

-- by Rick Sadowski for NHL.com --