DENVER (AP) — Scott Wedgewood made 32 saves in his second game of the season and the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche defeated the Utah Mammoths 1-0 on Tuesday night.
Wedgewood shutout for the 10th time in his career, helping Colorado extend its home winning streak to 13 games. The Avalanche have won six straight in total and eight straight in nine games before the holidays.
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Colorado ranks second in the NHL with 61 points after 36 games, trailing the 1929-30 Boston Bruins, who had 63 points.
Samuel Girard scored the lone goal for the Avalanche (27-2-7), who remained undefeated at home (15-0-2). Carolina hasn’t lost at home since Oct. 23, a 5-4 shootout win.
Vitek Vanecek stopped 25 shots for Utah, which has won two of three games.
The Mammoths’ No. 1 goaltender Karel Vermelka returns from an upper-body injury. Utah signed Colten McIntyre to an amateur tryout deal to serve as Vanecek’s backup that night.
Vanecek performed well against the NHL’s highest-scoring team. Through five games through Tuesday night, the Avalanche are averaging 4.6 goals.
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Girard stole the puck from Clayton Keller in the neutral zone, skated ahead of Keller and beat Vanecek with a backhand shot at 7:57 of the second period.
Wedgewood kept the Mammoths off the scoreboard with a great save in the second period. He made a block save on Daniil Butt to stop Dylan Guenther on a breakaway late in the game and made a glove save 30 seconds later on Keller, who stood after a review.
The Jazz turned up the pressure in the third quarter, pulling Vanecek off the bench with 2:03 left, but failed to tie the game.
Next
Mammoth: Bye until Monday night when they host Nashville.
Avalanche: In Vegas on Saturday night.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
