Improved goaltending, defensive effort have made Avalanche blowout-proof

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, collects the puck as St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg, front left, and left wing Jake Neighbours cover in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)Everything was in place for the Colorado Avalanche to get blown out Saturday night in St. Louis.

It was the last game of a road trip where the club didn’t play great at times, but two wins in the first two contests had already made it a success. The Blues were the hottest team in the league and had far more to play for.

And then the Avs went down by four goals before the midpoint of the second period. But, instead of it turning…