Center Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and goalie Darcy Kuemper produced a 46-save shutout as the Avalanche climbed out of a rare rut on Sunday at Ball Arena.
The Avs entered the Western Conference showdown against the Calgary Flames a salty 1-3-1 in their last five games, but MacKinnon gave them enough offense and Kuemper was exceptional in a 3-0 victory over the second-best team in the conference.
“It was a big win for us,” said Kuemper, who was pulled after allowing three goals early goals in his last meeting against Calgary. “Definitely a different outcome, for sure.