DENVER (AP) -- Goaltender Marc Denis needed another start -- not pity -- after giving up a bad overtime goal against Philadelphia last week.

	Avalanche goalie Marc Denis makes one of 37 saves against the Blues.

Denis put any thoughts of that soft goal behind him Wednesday night, stopping 37 shots for his first career shutout as the Colorado Avalanche ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

"Marc Denis is a competitor and he bounced back," Colorado coach Bob Hartley said. "We knew that this would be a challenge for him and that is why we wanted to give him a quick start after the Philadelphia game."

Milan Hejduk had two goals and an assist, giving him nine goals in 10 games after just one in his first four.

Joe Sakic added a goal and an assist, and Alex Tanguay and Sandis Ozolinsh had two assists apiece for the Avalanche, who are 3-1 in the Pepsi Center.

The shutout was the first against St. Louis this season and extended the Blues' scoreless streak against Colorado to 257 minutes, 5 seconds, in games played in Denver. The Blues last scored a goal in Denver on March 11, 1998.

"This was a disaster," St. Louis coach Joel Quenneville said. "The kid was good, but we could have played all night and not scored."

Denis won for the first time in three decisions this season (1-1-1).

"Some say I didn't get any breaks in Philly," said Denis, who made only his third start of the year as Patrick Roy's backup. "You get your breaks and sometimes you don't. It was really important for me to just get out there."

Earlier in the day, the Avalanche sent veteran right wing Claude Lemieux to the New Jersey Devils, along with the team's second-round selection in the 2000 entry draft for left wing Brian Rolston and a conditional third-round pick.

Hejduk gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 3:21 of the first period, beating Roman Turek from close range after being set up by Tanguay. Pavol Demitra hit the left post in the second of back-to-back power plays in which the Blues managed only four shots.

"Tanguay gave me a great pass," Hejduk said. "I was right in front of the net and I shot it high on the glove side."

Outshot 16-9, the Avalanche erupted for three goals in the second period, beginning with Sakic's fifth at 6:15. Chris Drury added a power-play goal on a rebound at 14:46 that finished Turek, who won five of his previous six starts.

Jamie McLennan replaced Turek and gave up Hejduk's second goal of the game at 16:14. Hejduk deflected a shot from the right point by Martin Skoula past McLennan.

Eric Messier added a power-play goal at 12:31 of the third period.

"We had some good scoring chances and weren't able to bury them," St. Louis defenseman Chris Pronger said.