Scott Wedgewood, red-hot Avalanche keep rolling, fend off Blackhawks despite another slow start

CHICAGO For the second straight event the Colorado Avalanche started slow and didn t generate a lot of offense For the second consecutive night it still didn t matter for the hottest company in hockey Scott Wedgewood made saves Sunday night including during a lackluster first period by the skaters in front of him and the Avs fended off the Chicago Blackhawks - at United Center Mackenzie Blackwood pitched the Avs first shutout of the season Saturday night in Nashville Wedgewood matched him Sunday marking the first time in franchise history the Avalanche has had shutouts in back-to-back calendar days I informed Blackwood to piss off Wedgewood reported I give up nine one-goal games and he comes out and gets a shutout and laughs in my face Obviously we are proud of each other and every time we get in there we are our biggest fans The Avs have now won nine straight games which is the longest streak in the NHL this season They have points in straight - - which is the fifth-longest run in franchise history They ran their NHL-best record to - - and Colorado is now seven points clear of everyone at the top of the league standings The gap between the Avs and second place Carolina and Dallas tied with points is the same as the gap between those clubs and the club that is in th place San Jose We are going to get everyone s best here as we keep going with this record Wedgewood reported If you re the top dog in the league everyone is going to want to knock you down a peg This event was scoreless for nearly minutes until Cale Makar exposed the breakthrough for the Avalanche Rookie Tristen Nielsen intercepted an outlet pass from Chicago goalie Spencer Knight and then put a shot on net from the right circle Colorado Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood celebrates with teammate Cale Makar after defeating the Chicago Blackhawks in an NHL hockey meeting Sunday Nov in Chicago AP Photo Paul Beaty The rebound kicked towards the left circle and Makar was able to amount his ninth goal of the season with remaining in the second period It was Nielsen s first NHL point in his fourth career encounter Nine goals and points in games for Makar leads all defensemen It also puts him on an -game pace for goals and points which would both be career bests One night after Avs coach Jared Bednar explained his organization was horrendous in the first period they might have been even worse in the opening minutes The Blackhawks outshot the Avalanche - and one of Colorado s shots was a dump-in from center ice by Nathan MacKinnon The Avs had a power play in the first period but did not register a shot attempt Just as Blackwood was in Nashville Wedgewood was the star of the opening period He made three or four excellent saves among the to get the Avs to the first intermission unscathed Our first was not very good at all Bednar disclosed I thought Wedge did a great job keeping us in that meeting then we started to play the right way a little bit more connected in all three zones much more competitive and harder in the battles Colorado was much better in the middle period It was certainly one of the Avs best defensive periods of the season The Avalanche outshot the Blackhawks - suffocating a Chicago side that was coming off a - loss two nights ago to the Buffalo Sabres Related Articles Mackenzie Blackwood s outstanding night helps Avalanche slip past Predators in - slog Avalanche injury situation gets worse Gavin Brindley week-to-week with lower-body issue Grading The Week Broncos Avs Wil Lutz CU soccer DU soccer giving Denver fans reasons to be thankful Avalanche Journal Denver Salt Lake City and Las Vegas about to be NHL s new Death Valley Avalanche s Cale Makar after three-point barrage vs Rangers I ve still got more in the tank The Avs entered this competition without four of the club s top forwards and the missing offensive punch particularly without Valeri Nichushkin has been evident at times this weekend The power play also had another unproductive day going goalless in three extra-man opportunities Colorado entered the weekend as clearly the best organization in the NHL at even strength and a top- outfit on the penalty kill but the power play remains the one part of the machine that is not close to meeting expectations The Avs began Sunday night ranked th in the league on the power play converting just of their opportunities The Avs scored four times on the power play Oct against the New Jersey Devils They are of in the games since including for in the past five contests Even if it remains the obvious weakness it isn t hurting their ability to keep rolling at the top of the NHL standings And it was another great night for Wedgewood who has been one of the NHL s best stories to start the - season He now leads the NHL with wins and is in the top five in both save percentage and goals against average Toss in Blackwood s best effort of his four games and the Avs goaltending is among the best in the NHL right now It s been incredible Makar noted They are holding us in games Tonight the Blackhawks could have easily had a couple in the first same as last night Want more Avalanche news Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis