Greasy goals, more Cale Makar magic leads Avalanche past Canucks

Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin, center, redirects a shot at Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko, right, as defenseman Quinn Hughes watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)The Colorado Avalanche will play a lot of aesthetically pleasing hockey over the course of the 2023-24 season, but they’re also going to need to win some greasy ones.

What transpired Wednesday night was far from a Monet or a Rembrandt, despite two teams loaded with star power near the top of the Western Conference standings. The Vancouver Canucks had the better of the scoring chances in the first 40 minutes, but the Avs…