The Avalanche didn’t have its first shot on goal until the 5:56 mark of the opening period … and then it didn’t stop shooting. The Avs ended the period with a 17-5 shots advantage (32-16 after 40 minutes), quickly waking up after a slower-than-expected start. The top line got the offense going — Gabe Landeskog shot/Nathan MacKinnon rebound shot off the rush. MacKinnon drew a penalty by the Blues’ Ryan O’Reilly to set up the Avs’ first power play. They cashed in for a 1-0 lead when Mikko Rantanen won the draw back to Cale Makar, who shed Tyler Bozak with some nifty footwork.
Blues-Avalanche Game 1 quick hits: Philipp Grubauer shows he’s playoff ready
