DENVER -- Semyon Varlamov and the Colorado Avalanche found a cure for their first slump of the season -- play the Stanley Cup champs. Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks. Gabriel Landeskog and John Mitchell also scored during Colorados three-goal first period. P.A. Parenteau and Cody McLeod added goals in the second and third for Colorado, which snapped a three-game skid. "You always say a win is a win, and it is. But at the same time our strength is our team morale and confidence," Landeskog said. "It feels good. It doesnt mean anything unless we go into Phoenix and play well." Brandon Saad scored for the Blackhawks, who failed to get at least two goals for the first time this season. Colorado ended Chicagos NHL-record streak of 24 consecutive games with at least a point to start a season in a 6-2 win last March. "Maybe we tend to respect them a little more than other teams, which we shouldnt," Stastny said. "We should respect everyone the same way. When youre young, that happens. Theyre the defending champs and you always want to play your best against the best." Antti Raanta made 14 saves in his NHL debut for the Blackhawks. He played the final 46:23 in relief of Corey Crawford, who allowed three goals on seven shots. "The target all the time was that someday I could play in the NHL, and in Rockford I had good games there, and I know I can do it," he said. "Only now its the small things, so we have to keep doing work and prepare to be even better all the time." The Blackhawks had their opportunities in outshooting Colorado 37-23. They had several quality chances to get back in the game in the second period but couldnt put one past Varlamov. Colorado stumbled after winning 14 of its first 16 games but capitalized on its chances in the first period this time. Stastny scored when Brent Seabrooks pass off the boards ricocheted to him in the slot, and he beat Crawford with a slap shot. Landeskog gave Colorado a two-goal lead when he redirected Andre Benoits shot from the point past Crawford with 7:39 left in the period. Just 56 seconds later, Mitchell made it 3-0. "We had a really good start. We were really sharp around the net and scored nice goals," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. Raanta, recalled Sunday, replaced Crawford after Mitchells goal. He faced only seven shots over the next 25 minutes but allowed his first goal late in the second period. After the Blackhawks had several strong chances in front of Varlamov, Parenteau skated down the left boards and beat Raanta with a shot from the circle to make it 4-0 with 1:22 left in the second. "The fourth goal was big for us. They were buzzing in our zone and Varly made some key saves for us," Roy said. "Youre always afraid being up 3-0 of having a letdown. But we were moving our feet." McLeod scored his first goal of the season on a rebound 1:44 into the third. Chicago lost forward Bryan Bickell in the first period after he crashed into the Avalanche net. He didnt return, and coach Joel Quenneville said after the game that Bickell might be more than day to day. "But Im not sure of that," Quenneville said. Its a tough blow for the Blackhawks, who are playing without forwards Michael Handzus and Marian Hossa. "Bicksie is obviously a big part of this and you hope its not too long," Kris Versteeg said. "Obviously, we need him in the lineup." NOTES: Colorado forward Maxime Talbot and defenceman Tyson Barrie had two assists each. ... There were only two penalties called in the game, one on each team. ... Avalanche C Matt Duchene is expected to miss at least a week with an oblique injury sustained in Saturdays loss to Florida. ... Hossa missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury. ... Colorado placed forward Alex Tanguay (knee) and defenceman Ryan Wilson (back) on injured reserve and recalled C Brad Malone and Barrie from Lake Erie of the AHL. Derwin James Chargers Jersey . Just as the meeting was beginning, Major League Baseball unveiled Rule 7.13, an experimental rule for the 2014 season aimed at eliminating what the league calls “egregious” runner/catcher collisions at home plate. Antonio Gates Youth Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.chargersauthenticofficialonline.com/authentic-dan-fouts-jersey.html .com) - A top-10 showdown is on tap in at the McKale Center on Saturday, as the 10th-ranked Arizona Wildcats play host to the eighth-ranked Utah Utes in a key Pac-12 matchup. Doug Flutie Chargers Jersey . -- The Los Angeles Clippers chose not to speak publicly about owner Donald Sterling before they faced the Golden State Warriors for Game 4 of their first-round series Sunday. Jerry Tillery Youth Jersey . Brooks replaces right-hander Yordano Ventura, who left his last outing with a sore elbow. Ventura is expected to miss one start. Brooks has made one relief appearance for the Royals this season, allowing six runs in two innings in a May 3 loss to Detroit.PARIS - Montreals Eugenie Bouchard recovered from early breaks in both sets to reach the second week of the French Open as she beat Swede Johanna Larsson 7-5, 6-4 Friday. The 18th-seeded Bouchard, an Australian Open semifinalist earlier this year, showed fighting spirit in winning her 84-minute match with the 99th-ranked Larsson in the pairs first meeting. Bouchard finished with 27 winners and 30 unforced errors, breaking on six of 11 chances while losing serve four times. Bouchard lost the opening game but recovered nicely to take a 5-3 first--set lead.dddddddddddd She got into trouble as Lasson levelled for 5-all but claimed the set with a break for 7-5 on her third set point. The Canadian lost serve in the third game of the second, breaking back in the fourth to tie the set at 2. Bouchard earned a 4-2 lead as she move on to victory, with Larsson donating a double-fault for a second match point before volleying a forehand return low into the net. Next up for Bouchard is German eighth seed Angelique Kerber, who defeated Slovak Daniela Hantuchova on Friday. ' ' '