The Colorado Avalanche walked out of Enterprise Center on Tuesday night with more than just a 3-1 road win over the St. Louis Blues. With Valeri Nichushkin scoring twice, Martin Necas chipping in a goal and Scott Wedgewood stopping 18 shots, Colorado clinched both the Central Division and the top seed in the Western Conference. Even so, coach Jared Bednar signaled there is no time for a victory lap. With five regular-season games still on the slate, the focus is squarely on locking down home-ice advantage and getting everyone in one piece for the postseason.
Clinching Night in St. Louis
The result in St. Louis officially slammed the door on the Central Division race and secured the West’s No. 1 seed, a benchmark the Avalanche had been chasing all season, according to NHL.com. Bednar told the outlet that “the goal for us started with winning the division and the conference but we still need another win to get first overall,” making it clear the job is not finished. Wedgewood backed that up, saying “home ice is super important,” and pointing out that those extra days at home between rounds can quietly tilt a series.
Nichushkin’s Two-Goal Spark and a Scare in Net
Nichushkin supplied the star turn with two goals, including a short-handed strike, while Necas added another to give Colorado control early. St. Louis’ Robert Thomas scored the lone Blues goal, according to the AP recap on ESPN. The Avalanche carried the play in the opening period and never fully let go, but there was a tense moment in the third when a collision drove Wedgewood into the post. He left briefly, then returned to finish the night, keeping any full-blown panic firmly in check.
Why Home Ice Still Matters
As satisfying as a division banner might be, Colorado’s eyes are still on the Presidents’ Trophy and the recovery perks that come with holding home ice through the playoffs. The late-season race is tight enough that every point over these final games still carries weight, according to analysis from CBS Sports. That is why, even with seeding in the West settled, the Avs are treating the remaining schedule as more than a formality.
Health, Depth and Avoiding a Drop-Off
Bednar has repeatedly emphasized that getting the roster as healthy as possible is a central goal over these last five games, and the numbers back him up. As detailed by The Denver Post, Colorado posted an 11-4-0 record when one or none of its top-eight skaters were missing this season, but slipped to 9-10-3 when two regulars were out. That contrast explains the measured approach to minutes, rotations and lineup decisions as the playoffs loom.
What’s Next
Colorado heads back to Ball Arena to host Calgary on Thursday, then will finish out a short run of regular-season games while monitoring injuries and potential first-round matchups, per the game notes on ESPN. Any celebration will stay relatively muted. The Avalanche checked off two major goals in St. Louis, but everyone in the room knows the real prize is still sitting in mid-June.
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