DENVER — Philipp Grubauer made 22 saves for his third shutout in his last five starts, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Sunday.
Tyson Barrie scored twice as Colorado (31-29-12) stayed in the mix for a second straight playoff appearance. Nathan MacKinnon scored his 37th goal and also had an assist to reach the 90-point mark for the second straight season.
The Avalanche trail Arizona by four points for the second wild card in the Western Conference with 10 games to go. Colorado plays Minnesota and Dallas, two teams ahead in the wild-card standings, on the road in the next three days, and then hosts the Coyotes on March 29.
There are five teams within six points of the two wild-card slots out West.
Grubauer has recorded each of his three shutouts this season since Feb. 23. He has nine in his career.
Cory Schneider stopped 31 shots for New Jersey. The Devils, who were eliminated from playoff contention Friday night despite winning at Vancouver, had just five shots in the first period.
Barrie gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead with a wrist shot at 2:22 of the second period. He got another goal at 11:05 when he sent the puck to the front of the net and it bounced off two New Jersey players and by Schneider.
Barrie now has 70 career goals, second all-time among defencemen in Colorado history.
Schneider came off for an extra skater with a little more than two minutes left. MacKinnon sealed it with an empty-net goal at 18:26.
NOTES: MacKinnon has 91 points after recording 97 points in 74 games last season. He has nine points in his last six games. He is the second Avalanche player to have consecutive 90-point seasons, matching Peter Forsberg (1997-98 and 1998-99). … Barrie’s last two-goal game came on Dec. 18, 2017, against Pittsburgh. … The Devils have not won three straight games since Dec. 27-31.
UP NEXT
Devils: Host the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.
Avalanche: At Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.
Michael Kelly, The Associated Press