DENVER (AP) — Scott Wedgewood made 32 saves for his second shutout of the season, and the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche beat the Utah Mammoth 1-0 on Tuesday night.
Wedgewood’s 10th career shutout helped extend Colorado’s home winning streak to 13 games. The Avalanche have won six in a row overall and eight of nine heading into the holiday break.
Colorado’s 61 points are the second most in the NHL after 36 games behind the 1929-30 Boston Bruins, who had 63 points at that stage.
Samuel Girard scored the lone goal for the Avalanche (27-2-7), who remain unbeaten in regulation at home (15-0-2). They have not lost on home ice since Carolina’s 5-4 shootout win on Oct. 23.
Vitek Vanecek stopped 25 shots for Utah, which had won two of three.
The Mammoth’s No. 1 goaltender, Karel Vejmelka, was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. Utah signed Colten McIntyre to an amateur-tryout agreement to serve as Vanecek’s backup for the night.
Vanecek had a strong performance against the NHL’s top-scoring team. The Avalanche averaged 4.6 goals in the five games heading into Tuesday night.
Girard stole the puck from Clayton Keller in the neutral zone, skated in ahead of Keller and beat Vanecek with a backhander at 7:57 of the second period.
Wedgewood kept the Mammoth off the scoreboard with big saves in the second period. He made a blocker save on Daniil But, stopped Dylan Guenther on a breakaway late in the frame and 30 seconds later made a glove save on Keller that stood after a review.
Utah turned up the pressure in the third period and pulled Vanecek for an extra skater with 2:03 left but couldn’t get the equalizer.
Up next
Mammoth: Off until Monday night, when they host Nashville.
Avalanche: At Vegas on Saturday night.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
