Avalanche 6, Blues 1: Necas Twice, Binnington Chased by the Clock

October 3, 2026 - Denver - Jordan Binnington tried to clear it. Artturi Lehkonen stole the pass and put it in the empty net. Six minutes later the same goaltender misplayed another puck, and Martin Necas made it 6-0. The Associated Press wrote both moments down. The NHL landing matches the times.

The Colorado Avalanche beat the St. Louis Blues 6-1 at Ball Arena. Colorado is 2-0-0 after an 8-4 win over Los Angeles on Wednesday. St. Louis is 1-1-0 after a 4-0 shutout in Dallas on Friday. The Blues had four shots in the first period and 26 for the game. Colorado had 36.

Nathan MacKinnon finished with three assists and five points through two games. Last season he won the Rocket Richard with 53 goals. Necas had two goals and an assist after a 100-point year in 2025-26.

Makar and Necas, then a four-goal second

Cale Makar scored at 4:09 of the first. Helpers from Necas and MacKinnon. Makar's eight-year, $163.2 million extension kicks in next season, the AP recap noted. 1-0.

Necas made it 2-0 at 13:12 from MacKinnon and Lehkonen. St. Louis had four shots after 20 minutes. The game was already a chase.

Josh Manson scored at 5:38 of the second from Nicolas Roy and Parker Kelly. 3-0. Lehkonen stole Binnington's clearing pass and scored at 11:40. No assist. 4-0.

Roy and Necas ended it 23 seconds apart. Roy at 18:02 from Kelly and Manson. Necas at 18:25 from Gabriel Landeskog and MacKinnon, on another Binnington misplay, per the AP. 6-0 after two. The AP recap flagged that Binnington had also allowed six against Colorado on New Year's Eve 2025. Saturday was 30 saves on 36 shots in a full 60 minutes.

One Blues goal, too late to change the night

Dalibor Dvorsky scored at 2:34 of the third from Theo Lindstein. 6-1. That ended Mackenzie Blackwood's shutout bid. Blackwood stopped 25 of 26.

Pius Suter had no shots in 16:14. Robert Thomas had none in 16:30. Mason McTavish put three on Blackwood and left without a point. Philip Broberg was minus-4 in 20:16. The Friday shutout in Dallas did not travel.

Attendance was 18,087. St. Louis wraps a three-game trip at Chicago on Tuesday. Colorado's first road game is at Winnipeg on Wednesday.

AthX Engine on a 6-1 home night

AthX Engine team scoring pays 12 for a win, 2.2 per goal for, minus 1.0 per goal against. Colorado's 24.20 is second on this Saturday slate, a point behind the Islanders' 6-0. St. Louis floors at 0.

Necas's two goals, one assist, and four shots are 12.90, the top skater in this game. MacKinnon is 9.90 on three assists and four shots. Lehkonen is 8.70. Roy is 8.30. Manson is 8.20. Makar is 5.80. Blackwood's 25-save win is 11.80. Binnington is 4.80 (30 saves, six goals against, no win). Dvorsky's goal, three shots, and 2 PIM are 5.30. He is not seeded on AthX player pages yet, so the name stays unlinked.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for Necas after two goals in a 6-1 home game and for Binnington after a second six-goal night against this club. They are not the same number.

Track Necas, MacKinnon, Blackwood, and both clubs on the marketplace.

*Sources: AP recap (ESPN), ESPN box score, NHL.com scoreboard, NHL gamecenter boxscore 2026020032. AthX Engine fantasy points scored from that verified box. Information only; not financial advice.*