Colorado Avalanche mixed it up as needed in taking 1-0 series lead over St. Louis Blues

May 18—If the Colorado Avalanche are able to push the tempo the way they did in Game 1 — outshooting St. Louis 50-23 and outscoring them 4-1 — the Blues' playoff days could be numbered.

And if the Blues' backs are against the boards, the West Division's top seed knows what to expect after nine matchups this season and general, collective playoff experience.

As Monday's game ended, St. Louis' Robert Bortuzzo's helmet came off before he was pulled apart from Ryan Graves. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare lost his own lid as he tussled with the Blues' Zach Sanford.

Even Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington headed down the ice and pointed his stick at winning goaltender Philipp Grubauer as an official towed him away.

This was 2 1/2 periods after Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog earned a fighting major for dropping the gloves with Brayden Schenn.

The only thing to do is match intensity, intelligently.

"At the end of the day, we know what kind of team we are," Bellemare said. "We've never shied away from a team that comes and tries to hit a lot. (It) has never bothered us before and it's not going to bother us now."

Before the series and during intermissions, coach Jared Bednar said Monday night, they've talked about the Blues trying to throw them off with physical play, the need to "dish it out as well as take it," while not sending out the Blues' "lethal" power play. It was sixth in the league during the regular season at 23.2%.

"Especially when you get a lead like that in the third and they're trying to scrum it up after every whistle, we don't need to get involved in that," Bednar said. "To me, that's just giving them opportunities to maybe pull some of our guys off the ice. We have a game to win and that's our focus."

Landeskog, a member of the Avalanche's top line who had a hand in three of four goals Monday, is not someone the team wants in the penalty box for five minutes. He said he doesn't go out on the ice looking to fight.

But he recognized the need to get ahead of Schenn's plans and fire up the crowd.

"We're skilled and we're fast, but I also think we're a tough team and we're a strong team, physically," Landeskog said after the game. "I thought we showed that tonight."

King Clancy nominee

The NHL announced Tuesday that Bellemare is the Avalanche's nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, presented "to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."

"Sometimes you're not trying to lead, you're just trying to do whatever you think is right," Bellemare said. "In my case I come every day. I'm enjoying this."

Bellemare appeared in his 500th NHL game this season. The Le Blanc-Mensil, France, native joined Antoine Roussel (554) as the only French players in league history to reach that milestone.

Byram update

Bednar said rookie defenseman Bowen Byram, who last played March 25, has been cleared to return. He's taken part in team skates and is "an option whenever we want to use him."