David Perron scored a hat trick as the St. Louis Blues defeated the visiting Colorado Avalanche 5-2 Monday night to remain atop the Western Conference.

The Blues won their third straight game while extending their lead over the second-place Avalanche to three points. They have won six consecutive games against Colorado during the last two seasons.

Vince Dunn and Jordan Kyrou also scored for the Blues, who are 8-1-1 against Central Division teams this season. Ryan O'Reilly had two assists and goaltender Jordan Binnington made 26 saves.

Mikko Rantanen and Nazem Kadri scored for the Avalanche, who had their nine-game points streak stopped. Philipp Grubauer, who returned after missing three games with a hamstring strain, stopped 30 of 34 shots.

The Blues struck first when Perron scored with 69 seconds left in the first period, connecting from a sharp left-side angle off O'Reilly's diagonal pass. Perron started the scoring play by fighting off a check just inside the Avalanche blue line.

But Kadri tied the score 1-1 just 55 seconds into the second period. He won an offensive zone draw in the left circle, then slid to the right side to convert a cross-ice pass from Ryan Graves from the left wall.

Rantanen's power-play goal midway through the second period, on a blast from the right circle, gave the Avalanche a 2-1 lead.

With Kadri in the penalty box for a double-minor high-sticking infraction late in the period, the Blues scored twice during a span of 36 seconds to take a 3-2 lead.

First, Perron capitalized with a shot from the left circle, off an Alex Pietrangelo pass, then Dunn converted a give-and-go play down low with Tyler Bozak.

Kyrou pushed the lead to 4-2 in the third period by stealing a pass in the neutral zone, breaking in alone on Grubauer and scoring a wraparound goal.

Perron's empty-net goal with 3:55 left to play iced the game.

--Field Level Media

--Field Level Media