Binnington shines in Game 1, but the Avs thrive on Manson’s winner

Iron plus oxygen equals rust. Thankfully Colorado’s lack of altitude means less oxygen because the Avalanche found their fair share of iron on Tuesday. Maybe a tad off after eight days between series, the Avs were never that rusty.

The Avalanche were all over the St. Louis Blues in Game 1, but it took overtime to finish the job 3-2. A late third period goal from the Blues on the powerplay off a bad Colorado line change forced the extra period. Colorado out-shot the underdogs 54-24 in the game and 13-0 in overtime. The fancy stats say Colorado should’ve netted at least five goals, but those posts. The bars and Jordan Binnington stole Game 1, but the Blues didn’t.

“The reality is sometimes you’re gonna play really well, and you feel like you deserve to win, but you don’t; tonight were a real resilient group,” Gabriel Landeskog said. “Goalie played really good for them tonight, made some saves that we felt like we had an empty net, and he stuck a leg out or hand out and played really well.”

Landeskog put in a heck of a shift in overtime, winning the puck a few times, passing to Josh Manson, then getting to the net mouth for a screen. Manson pumped once, slammed his stick then found twine through a slew of bodies, including Landeskog’s.

“In my dreams, I had a one-hander or something like that,” Manson said, laughing about his first career playoff goal, an overtime game-winner. “It was great, it’s not about the way I feel; it’s how the whole team feels. Seeing everybody come at me, that’s the best part.”

Manson is more of a defensive-defenseman that was picked up at the trade deadline. He registered an assist on Samuel Girard’s goal earlier in the night.

“I thought he was fantastic tonight; you watch his defending tonight, heavy with the puck, gaps were great, he played his butt off all night long,”Jared Bednar said. “We’re telling our guys if you get open shooting lanes, take it; if you have to create some movement to get one, do it. I just felt like he played the right way the whole night and eventually got an opportunity to shoot the puck and puts in the back of the net. It was a great shot, was a great goal on a great shift; glad to see him get rewarded.”

Bednar joked that he’s thanking the hockey Gods once again after the team played this well and still escaped with a win.

“There’s a resiliency to this group, and it’s been building for a few years here,” Bednar said. “I think it comes back to the belief our team has, they’ve been through some heartache and they seem focused and determined to work through it.”

As far as rust? Bednar didn’t think so. And if there was any it only impacted the iron, not the win column.

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