The Colorado Avalanche will try to extend their lead against the St. Louis Blues when they play Game 3 of the Stanley Cup First Round at Enterprise Center on Friday.
Colorado leads the best-of-7 series 2-0 after a 6-3 win in Game 2 on Wednesday. When winning the first two games of a best-of-7 series, the Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques have won 13 of 16 series, 13 of 14 since moving to Colorado for the 1995-96 season.
The Avalanche have been led by their top line of forwards Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen, who have combined for 16 points (six goals, 10 assists), 12 even-strength points (five goals, seven assists) and 26 shots on goal.
MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals (five) and points (seven) in the playoffs, including a hat trick in Game 2. He has scored 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists) in 17 playoff games the past two seasons.
"I don't know if I'm at another level or pucks or going in right now," MacKinnon said. "I mean, all my goals are with great screens in front. 'Landy' [and] 'Mikko' are beasts down low. Without those guys battling and mucking it up in front when I'm up high, those pucks don't go in. Everyone's helping out for sure."
The Blues will be without defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Justin Faulk, each of whom was injured during Game 2.
Teams that take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-7 series are 192-4 (.979) winning the series.
Here are 3 keys for Game 3: