ST. LOUIS — The handshake line was quick … just like the series.
There was nothing for the overmatched St. Louis Blues left to tell the Avalanche except, “Good series. Good luck.”
Short and sweet is how it usually goes when the series is similarly quick, like the one the Avalanche completed with Sunday’s 5-2 win in Game 4 of the teams’ first-round match-up.
Four games, four Avalanche wins.
Four games, 20 Avalanche goals.
Four games, four statements by the Avalanche.
This team is built for a long run and skunking the Blues was only the beginning.
The Avalanche scored three unanswered goals bridging the second and third periods, withstood a Blues charge that cut the lead to 3-2 and added two empty-net goals in the final minute.
Bye, bye Blues. Hello to be determined.
“It was our best game of the series,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said.
Why was it the Avs’ best?
Because the lulls that Bednar lamented in Games 1-3 didn’t pop up in the clincher.
“Happy we got it done without giving them any sort of momentum or hope,” captain Gabe Landeskog said.
Because the Blues were limited to a series-low 20 shots.
“We’re finding a way to defend the right way — not just our (defenseman), but our forwards as well,” goalie Philipp Grubauer said.
And because the top line, held in check in Friday’s game, combined for six points, including Rantanen’s first and only goal of the series to make it 3-1 with 15:40 remaining.
“I had a lot of chances before; I should have gotten the first goal before this game,” he said.
The Avalanche swept a playoff series for the third time since moving to Denver in 1995 (first since 2001).
The Avalanche now wait for the Minnesota-Vegas winner. The Golden Knights have a 3-1 series advantage entering Monday’s Game 5.
To illustrate how important the Avs’ sweep is, take a look around the league. Carolina is tied 2-2, having lost consecutive double-overtime games. Edmonton is down 2-0 to Winnipeg. Pittsburgh and the New York Islanders have bludgeoned each other for four games (two wins apiece).
While those series get finalized, the Avs can rest and recover, practice and prepare.
“There are a lot of advantages to getting done early,” Bednar said. “It’s a positive for our group.”
An even bigger positive: If the Avs showed a hole in its game for a future opponent, good luck trying to find one.
Game 1: A combined eight points by the top line of Landeskog, Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon.
Game 2: Thirty-two saves from Grubauer and only one goal allowed during a five-minute penalty kill following center Nazem Kadri’s ejection.
Game 3: Unlikely offense from defenseman Ryan Graves (goal and two assists) and winger Alex Newhook’s first NHL goal.
Game 4: Air-tight defense and two points apiece for Landeskog, MacKinnon and Rantanen.
“Definitely proud and (a sweep) is not easy to do,” Landeskog said. “Tough building to come in and take two in a row against a desperate team isn’t easy to do. Happy we got it done without giving them any sort of momentum or hope.”
St. Louis legitimately seized the momentum only once in four games — early in Sunday’s second period. Vladimir Tarasenko got behind the Avalanche defense, received a great stretch pass from Ryan O’Reilly and beat Grubauer to the high glove side.
It was the Blues’ first lead of the series … and their last. Out of the 240 minutes of game time, they led for only 6:12.
The Avalanche started its comeback at the 11:37 mark of the second when winger Brandon Saad (three goals in the series) received defenseman Cale Makar’s pass in the high slot and ripped a wrist shot past goalie Jordan Binnington to the high glove side.
“Cale executes a great play and (Saad) moves to the right area and just got the puck on and off his tape,” Bednar said. “Certainly a big goal.”
The Avalanche took the lead for good just 3:16 later when Rantanen won a half-wall battle and fed defenseman Sam Girard at the point, whose wrist shot was deflected in by Landeskog.
“Landy is over in the corner and he just fights to the interior of the ice,” Bednar said. “If he doesn’t get there, it’s a can-of-corn (save) for Binnington and we’re facing it off.”
Rantanen scored on a feed from MacKinnon at 4:20 of the third period put the Avalanche up 3-1, but St. Louis answered back with a Tarasenko power-playmaker at 8:19 to give the Blues and their fans a last gasp of hope.
That hope was ultimately dashed, though, when MacKinnon drew a high-sticking penalty by the Blues’ Mike Hoffman with 1:48 remaining. MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin added empty-net goals in the final minute.
The Avalanche may have the most skill of the playoff teams, but in the postseason, when the games get greasy, alternative ways to win are required. That was clear in Game 4.
“The last two games, we wrapped up our series really well and played that grinding hockey,” Rantanen said.
Said Bednar: “The details of our checking and our structure were outstanding. Just a real importance (entering the game) on playing the right way and checking the right way.”
The right way was the winning way for the Avalanche. But it is only 25% toward the Cup.
“We have a lot of the same guys that came back this year with a couple of additions,” Grubauer said. “Everybody knows what we have to do.”
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