Valeri Nichushkin scores twice as Avalanche clinch top spot in West

Valeri Nichushkin scored two goals as the Colorado Avalanche locked up the top spot in the Western Conference with a 3-1 road victory over the deflated St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.

Scott Wedgewood made 18 saves and Martin Necas also tallied to help the Avalanche (51-16-10, 112 points) inch closer to their fourth Presidents' Trophy in franchise history.

Robert Thomas scored the lone goal for Blues (33-32-12, 78 points). Joel Hofer totaled 34 saves as the home side saw its slim playoff chances diminish in the loss.

Despite the conference-topping victory, the Avalanche may have sustained a major loss as Nazem Kadri left the contest early after blocking a shot with his hand.

Nichushkin notched the opening goal as he tipped Devon Toews' point shot off the post and in with just under four minutes remaining in the first period.

Nathan MacKinnon found Necas waiting at the back post, and the sniper had no trouble burying his 37th goal of the season to make it 2-0 within the final minute of the opening period.

Nichushkin went between the legs on a short-handed break and sent a weak shot off Hofer's stick and into the back of the net for his second goal of the night, making it 3-0 for the Avalanche 1:40 into the second period.

Nichushkin broke free for another breakaway moments after scoring his second, but Hofer denied the attempt.

Two nights after tallying his first career hat trick, Robert Thomas ended Wedgewood's shutout bid. Thomas fanned on his first attempt but stuck with it and tickled the twine with the backhand to make it a two-goal deficit with 4:22 left in the second.

Thomas looked to find his second of the period as he nearly pulled off his wraparound attempt, but he was unable to slide it past Wedgewood with a minute remaining in the middle frame.

Wedgewood was very slow to get up with 10 minutes remaining in the contest after a heavy collision with Philip Broberg, but the Avalanche netminder stayed in the game.