DENVER (AP) - Defenseman John-Michael Liles scored twice in the first period, Peter Budaj stopped 27 shots, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the struggling St. Louis Blues 6-3 on Monday night.
Brandon Yip and David Jones scored 17 seconds apart in the second period, and Paul Stastny and Kevin Porter added goals for the Avs, who have won five straight over the Blues.
Alexander Steen scored 54 seconds in, Carlo Colaiacovo added a goal, and Brad Boyes had one on a power play, but St. Louis lost its fourth straight.
Budaj bested Jaroslav Halak, who came in allowing 1.79 goals a game but surrendered a season-high six.
The two goalies were teammates for Slovakia at the 2010 Winter Olympic in Vancouver, lifting the team to a fourth-place finish.
Budaj started his ninth straight game filling in for Craig Anderson, who has been out since hurting his knee in pregame warmups on Oct. 26. Anderson could be nearing a return as he took shots at the morning skate on Monday. Avalanche coach Joe Sacco said Anderson is "progressing."
Budaj has played well in Anderson's absence, surrendering three goals or fewer in his last seven games.
The biggest cheer of the night occurred when Matt Duchene got into a fight with Vladimir Sobotka late in the game. The crowd gave the second-year player, known for his scoring instead of his brawling, a long ovation. Duchene grinned as he sat in the penalty box.
Down 3-1 in the second period, the Blues climbed back into the game on Colaiacovo's second goal of the season.
The Avalanche countered with two goals in a 17-second span, their fastest stretch since Oct. 22, 2005.
Yip started the spree with a goal that was initially waved off. The referee ruled that the puck hit off Yip's hands on a pass from Duchene. After a lengthy review, it was determined that the puck struck Yip's torso and allowed the goal to stand.
Colorado came right back with another as Jones skated in on Halak and beat him with a shot over the shoulder. Adam Foote was credited with an assist on the goal, moving him ahead of Sandis Ozolinsh for the most points by a defenseman in franchise history.
Liles had a fruitful first period, scoring twice. It was his third career multi-goal game and first since Oct. 18, 2006.
The speedy Liles tied the game by putting in a rebound and then gave the Avalanche a lead they wouldn't surrender with a slap shot past Halak.
Moments later, Liles unleashed a shot that Halak stopped, but couldn't clear. Stastny came up with the puck in a scramble to the right of Halak, popping it over Halak's shoulder before being dumped to the ice.
Liles has been on quite a hot streak this season. He had at least one assist in nine straight games to begin the season, setting an NHL record for a defenseman to open the year.
The Blues didn't take long getting on the board when Steen scored on a breakaway 54 seconds in.
The play was set up when defenseman Ryan Wilson elected to pinch in with the Avalanche in the offensive end, but couldn't get the puck away from Patrik Berglund, who hit Steen in stride for his fourth goal.
Wilson was playing in his first game in more than two weeks after injuring his leg.
Notes: Blues F David Perron (concussion) missed his sixth straight game. ... Avalanche F David Koci (jaw) skated Monday morning without a protective bar on his helmet, but was scratched along with D Jonas Holos. ... The Avalanche are in the middle of their busiest stretch of the season. They played the third of six games in a nine-day stretch. ... Colorado's Milan Hejduk and Chris Stewart each had two assists.
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