Colorado Avalanche shuts out Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0

The grind that is the NHL's lockout-shortened season favored the Avalanche on Thursday night. After beating the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings in Tuesday's home opener at the Pepsi Center, the Avs welcomed a tired team coming off a four-goal loss at Phoenix on Wednesday.

The Columbus Blue Jackets arrived in Denver in the wee hours Thursday morning, and held a optional morning practice as the Avs had finished theirs and were busy talking about how to take advantage of the situation."We all watched their game and we know it's not easy to play back to back with traveling," Avs right winger P.A. Parenteau said of the Blue Jackets, who began 1-0-1. The Avs won the chippy affair 4-0, their second triumph in three games, and for the second straight time goalie Semyon Varlamov and center Matt Duchene were the best players on the ice. Varlamov had 23 saves through a fight-filled two periods, and Duchene had one assist and two goals.A Sidney Crosby-like skating-passing sequence by Duchene led to Parenteau's goal at 51 seconds into the game, and Duchene scored his first of the season at 12:25 on a rebound off a Chuck Kobasew shot."We talked about getting out of the gate hard and we were able to sneak in a quick goal on the first shift and another soon thereafter. It was good. Great win," Duchene said.At the time of Duchene's first goal, third-line center John Mitchell was in the trainer's room, receiving stitches after taking a shot off the forehead and leaving a trail of blood to the bench.The former New York Ranger, who was cleared of a possible concussion or broken bones, returned to the ice in the second period and made it 3-0 by beating Sergei Bobrovsky with a wrist shot 4:38 into the third period."I could see out of both eyes. I knew I was cut, obviously, but I could see,"
Later, he clanged a shot off the left post on a semi-breakaway.Mitchell joined the Avs as a free-agent signee last summer, after helping lead the Rangers to the Eastern Conference finals last season. For those who witnessed his horrific-looking misfortune and ensuing comeback, the newcomer is now a crowd favorite.Meanwhile, Avs coach Joe Sacco preached a good start at 5,280 feet."With their situation, yeah, it's no secret. They're going to try to find their legs early on," Sacco said of the Blue Jackets before the game. "We want to keep it simple for us, make their D work by going back for pucks and try to establish some territory in the offensive zone by controlling it down there as much as possible."

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