ST. PAUL, Minn. — It was an exhaustively successful work.

The Avalanche, completing a rocky road excursion and playing on successive nights employed all its available energy Sunday night in the Xcel Energy Center.

Colorado got targets in all three scenarios — shorthanded, power play and even-strength — and goaltending from Pavel Francouz at a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild at a Central Division.

“It was a gutsy effort,” Avs coach Jared Bednar stated. “They had a jump in their legs — we arriving in around the back. I didn’t enjoy how we executed in the phase. I believe our intentions were not good, but we fought the puck just a little bit. ”

He included: “Pretty good effort by our guys. Execution wasn’t where it needs to be, but I thought Frankie (Francouz) was really good when we wanted him. ”

In tying the St. Louis Blues using an Western Conference-high 32 wins, the Avs extended their winning streak to four games and finished 4-1 on the trip that began Feb. 1 with a loss at Philadelphia. Colorado allowed just 1 goal in Buffalo, Ottawa and Columbus.

Forwards Pierre-Edouard (shorthanded), Nathan MacKinnon (power play) and Gabe Landeskog scored the goals Sunday and Francouz, enjoying his first game on the excursion, made 34 saves to improve to 13-4-2.

“We’ll take no doubt, particularly this one so that it was significant, and it felt like a playoff-type game,” Landeskog said. “Happy with how we’re playing now, and now we’ve got to convert this into home ice and also be sure we get jumped here in the Pepsi Center. ”

The Avs took a 3-2 lead in the third phase, with every one of the match ’s five goals coming in the second phase. Four were including Bellemare’s surprising goal that gave Colorado a 1-0 lead 1:37 into the center frame.

Bellemare, using a defenseman closing on himbeat goalie Devan Dubnyk using a shot from the left circle.

“I was thinking I didn’t have a great deal of time. This was as good of a chance I was going to get, since the man has been coming up on me,” Bellemare said. “Did I think that it went to move in? No. But occasionally you get just a little chance. We’ll accept it. ”

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Jared Spurgeon’s power-play aim at 4:58 tied it, and the Wild added another power-play target by Kevin Fiala in 17:31 that trimmed Colorado’s deficit to 3-2. The Avs acquired their 3-1 lead from MacKinnon and also 10:36 out of Landeskog.

The Wild finished. The Avs were 1-of-3.

Colorado and Minnesota are tied 2-2 at the summer series and meet March 23 at St. Paul from the finale.

Footnotes. Avs center Nazem Kadri left the game with a accident early in the third period for what Bednar stated might have been occupying reasons. … Avs winger Andre Burakovsky celebrated his birthday Sunday. … Colorado ahead Vladislav Kamenev has been a healthy scratch in all five games over the trip. … The Avs currently play five consecutive games at home, starting Tuesday from the Ottawa Senators, whom they defeated 4-1 on Thursday at Canada. The homestand comprises Thursday’s game against the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals and Saturday’s NHL Stadium Series game against the Los Angeles Kings at the Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium.

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