Avalanche at St. Louis Blues: Three keys for Game 3

Hats fly onto the ice after Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) second from the left, got a hat trick during the third period of game 2 in first-round series at Ball Arena on May 19, 2021 in Denver.The Avalanche and Blues meet for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series at Enterprise Center at 7:30 p.m. Friday (USA, ALT).

Three keys for the Avs

Take early lead. Colorado was 17-9-2 on the road in the regular season, winning four of its last five, but the challenge of playing before a mature playoff crowd at Enterprise Center will be difficult. COVID capacity is 9,000, approximately half what the building holds, and we’ve learned that less than half can create a significant…