DENVER, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Semyon Varlamov faced a mere 21 shots Wednesday and gave up only a second-period goal in boosting the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-1 victory over New Jersey.
The Avalanche scored three times in the opening period and coasted behind one of Varlamov's best performances of the season. He won for just the second time in nine appearances.
Colorado has a winning record on the road, but this was only its fifth home win in 14 tries.
Milan Hejduk, T.J. Galiardi and Jan Hejda all scored in the first period. Ilya Kovalchuk produced the only goal off Varlamov midway through the second.
Ryan O'Reilly, Jay McClement and Stefan Elliott then tacked on goals for the Avalanche in the third, McClement's score coming shorthanded.
The Avalanche came within one of equaling their largest goal total of the season, that coming in a 7-1 win over Ottawa in the fourth game of the campaign.
Martin Brodeur gave up all six goals on 25 shots. The game was the opener of a four-game New Jersey road trip.
