WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Following the latest installment of Binnington Theater late in the second period Saturday against Colorado, the Blues outshot the Avalanche 14-5.

They outscored them 2-0 over this stretch — until Matt Nieto’s empty-net goal with 2.7 seconds remaining.

And they had several chances to tie the game in the final minutes, including the rebound of a Brayden Schenn shot that was kicked out of the goal crease by Avs defenseman Evan Rodrigues. And a point-blank blast by Jordan Kyrou that goalie Alexandar Georgiev was able to save with just 18 seconds remaining.

“The positive of the game is we had a really good third period, we really pushed hard,” coach Craig Berube said after the Blues’ 4-2 loss. “That’s the competitiveness we need to see. All game. We had some good chances (late). Didn’t finish it off. Jordan (Kyrou) had a real nice look there with the goalie out and he made a good save. That’s the way it goes.”

Ivan Barbashev got the Blues within striking distance with a takeaway/breakaway goal midway through the third period.

“The third period showed that we can play like this,” Barbashev said. “It just has to be every single shift we have to play hard. Because we took the game over in the third and it was fun to play.”

Can the Blues take something out of that strong finish and bring it to Winnipeg for Monday night’s contest with the Jets?

“Well, you should,” Berube said. “You should take the third period and bottle it up and each individual realize what it takes.”

Or was this a classic case of what’s known in the business as “loser’s hockey?” Namely, a team falls behind big, the winning team lets up a bit. And that leads to a good — but ultimately unsuccessful — finish by the losing team.

If that’s the case, the Blues have been playing world-class “loser’s hockey” during their current four-game losing streak.

On Jan. 21 against Chicago, the Blues fell behind 3-0 before rallying to make it a 4-3 deficit in the third period — eventually losing 5-3.

Three days later against Buffalo, the Blues fell behind 4-0, before rallying once again to make it a 4-3 deficit. They had a power-play opportunity with 1:46 remaining and a chance to tie it, but instead gave up a six-on-four shorthanded, empty-net goal in another 5-3 loss.

Nothing of the sort happened in Thursday’s 5-0 embarrassment in Arizona.

But then came Saturday at Ball Arena, when Binnington’s participation in a scrum and subsequent mid-ice gesture exhorting Avalanche fans to bring on the boos brought the listless Blues to life.

“Yeah, for sure it did,” Barbashev said. “He’s that kind of a guy. He’s trying to get some life to our team.”

The overriding issue is: Why can’t the Blues start games with the intensity and emotion they’ve displayed later in contests?

“Unfortunately, it was too little, too late,” defenseman Torey Krug said. “We came out in the third (period) and played the right way. I think we just competed harder, that was all. Nothing to it besides working harder. And being willing to get into battles and just showing it.”

All evidence to the contrary, Berube didn’t think the Blues’ start was that bad Saturday.

“Coming into this rink it’s always a tough first period,” Berube said. “They start fast, and they make you turn and go back for pucks a lot. I thought we were actually OK.

“We lost a puck battle on the one goal on the wall.”

He was referring to Colorado’s second goal, set up when the Robert Bortuzzo and Jake Neighbours had a two-on-one advantage along the boards but Ben Meyers won the puck, leading to J.T. Compher’s goal.

“And the (third) goal, we got the puck out and they punched it back and we gotta do a better job of defending that rush,” Berube said. “Our D’s gotta pull inside the dots on that play.”

The defenders on that play were Niko Mikkola and Justin Faulk. The result here was a Rodrigues goal that made it 3-0 Colorado early in the second period.

“I thought the guys were ready to play in the first period,” Berube said. “And handled things. Because they’re gonna come hard.”

But so far this season, this is not the Colorado juggernaut that won the Stanley Cup a year ago, partly because of injuries. Overall, the Avalanche haven’t been that dominant in the first period. Neither have they been that dominant offensively, averaging 3.06 goals per game — to the Blues’ 3.02.

Regardless, the basic issue remains the same. Falling behind 3-0 or more is a recipe for disaster, and at a critical point in the season in which the Blues need to play with urgency — and desperation — it’s just not there at the start of games.

“At times we show that we’re still capable of winning games and we’re still capable of beating good hockey teams,” Krug said. “It’s been few and far between lately. But we have the ability.

“It’s just about showing up with the right mentality and doing the work. And not making any excuses. Do it right from the get-go. And don’t wait until the third period.”

At face value that doesn’t seem too much to ask. But it falls into the category of easier-said-than done, and “loser’s hockey” at the moment.

“I believe we can beat any team on any given night,” Binnington said. “I truly believe, so it’s upsetting right now with how it’s going. But it’s part of it. It happens and you just gotta keep your head up and keep working and hopefully over time things come around.”