DENVER — We have ourselves a series.
The Colorado Avalanche dropped their first game of the 2022 NHL playoffs on Thursday night, falling 4-1 to the St. Louis Blues in Game 2 in front of their home crowd at Ball Arena.
It is Colorado's first taste of postseason defeat after sweeping past the Nashville Predators in the first round and claiming Game 1 over the Blues in overtime Tuesday night.
"We have a great team. We still believe we can get this thing done and win the series," Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon said. "We're not going to sweep every round."
Both teams battled through a scoreless first period on Thursday before St. Louis drew first blood with a two-goal second period.
Jordan Kyrou struck first with a goal 5:45 into the second period.
Colorado drew back-to-back penalty calls at the end of the period to give St. Louis a 5-on-3 opportunity, which it capitalized on with a goal from David Perron with 34 second left before intermission.
"It's playoffs right there for you, a big roller coaster," Perron said. "It was important to find a way to win one here on the road."
Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog got the Avalanche on the board early in the third period, only to be answered with another goal from Perron. Former Avalanche player Brandon Saad added an empty-net goal with just under 2 minutes remain in regulation to seal the victory for St. Louis.
"We got out-worked and out-skated," Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said. "They were better and we were worse."
The series now shift to St. Louis for Games 3 and 4 at Enterprise Center. Puck drop for Game 3 is scheduled for 6 p.m. (MT) on Saturday.
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