ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Despite losing its previous game, the Avalanche is taking its best brand of hockey of the season into Monday night’s game at the Scottrade Center, where the St. Louis Blues will try to regain their swagger.
The Blues have lost four consecutive games, including Colorado’s last week. The Avs have won three of their last four and collected points in six of seven.
“From the get-go were were able to get pucks behind their defensemen … impose our system right off the bat and control the game,” Avs forward Daniel Briere said of the 5-0 rout last Tuesday. “I don’t expect things to be as easy as they were last game. These guys are prepared for revenge.”
The Avs will have no healthy scratches against the Blues, with just 20 available players. Defenseman Nick Holden will begin on the fourth line and also probably play on the blue line at times, coach Patrick Roy said, because the Avs have just 11 true forwards on the trip, not including Jesse Winchester, who is still experiencing post-concussion symptoms.
In goal, Semyon Varlamov will oppose future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur. It will be Brodeur’s first start against Coach Roy, his former on-ice rival.
When asked if it’s still special playing against Roy, the coach, Brodeur said: “Not really. Maybe he’ll play tonight. That would be fun.”
St. Louis won the first two games against the Avs by 3-2 scores, in a shootout in St. Louis and overtime in Denver.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or twitter.com/mikechambers
