Final Score: St. Louis 4, Colorado 2

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Martin Rucinsky scored two goals to give the St. Louis Blues a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in the front end of a home-and-home series at the Pepsi Center.

Bill Guerin had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who have won four of their last five games. Manny Legace stopped 30 shots in the win.

"You have to bring your 'A' game or they'll bury you in a hurry you," said Legace. "The coaching staff has brought us great strategies."

Joe Sakic and Wojtek Wolski each had a goal and Peter Budaj made just 16 saves for the Avalanche, who have lost their last two games.

The teams finish the series in St. Louis on Saturday.

The game was tied at 2-2 heading into the third period, but the Blues grabbed the lead with 8:43 to play when a shot by Lee Stempniak from the left point was tipped between the pads of Budaj by Rucinsky for a 3-2 lead.

Legace made the lead hold up with several nice saves for the remainder of the game and an empty-net goal by Keith Tkachuk with 30.1 seconds to play sealed the victory.

It was a slow first period with only 14 shots finding their way to the net, with six by St. Louis and eight by Colorado. None made it past the goaltenders.

St. Louis got on the scoreboard in the second when Rucinsky finished a 2-on-1 with an easy tap in from the left side of the net thanks to a nice pass from Doug Weight at the 7:47 mark.

Just 21 seconds later, though, Colorado tied the game when a wrist shot by Sakic in the slot through a screen found the left corner of the net.

The Blues jumped ahead, 2-1, when a pass by Dennis Wideman from the right point went to the left circle where Guerin unleashed a one-timer that beat Budaj with 6:28 left in the second.

The Avs tied the game, though, as Andrew Brunette sent a pass from the low right side out front where Wolski tapped it between the pads of Legace with 56.2 seconds left in the second.

Game Notes

Colorado has won five of the last seven games against St. Louis...St. Louis went 3-for-4 on the power play while Colorado scored on one of its five chances...Wideman and Weight each had two assists in the game.