Blues 2 - 3 Avalanche
Final - 2OT
  for this game

O'Reilly nets SO winner as Avalanche clip Blues

Dec 3, 2011 - 5:22 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Ryan O'Reilly was the only player to convert in the shootout as the Colorado Avalanche took a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Friday.

O'Reilly also netted the game-tying goal in the third period to go along with an assist for Colorado, which won back-to-back games for the first time since a five-game winning streak from October 10-17.

Semyon Varlamov stopped 35 shots to earn the win.

"We're really glad to get the win. They're a great team but tonight we played really well in our own end and then got some pucks on the net," said O'Reilly. "We got to keep doing the little things right and we'll be all right."

Kevin Shattenkirk and Patrik Berglund lit the lamp for the Blues, who saw their four-game winning streak come to an end.

Jaroslav Halak stopped 35-of-37 shots in defeat.

St. Louis took advantage of a power play at the 8:55 mark of the first period with a Shattenkirk shot from the top of the right circle that went through a screen and into the far side of the net.

Milan Hejduk sent the game into the first intermission knotted at 1-1 with a one-timer from the slot that sailed into the top-right corner.

Berglund put the Blues back on top early in the second period by re-directing a centering pass by Chris Stewart past Varlamov.

Colorado failed to put the puck in the net in the second, but O'Reilly ripped a wrister from the top of the right circle into the short side near the midpoint of the third for the equalizer.

"We got away from our game in the third, protecting the lead rather than increasing it," Shattenkirk said.

With 16 ticks left in overtime, Colorado defenseman Ryan O'Byrne backhanded a rebound that bounced off Halak's stick and trickled towards the line. The goaltender quickly swept the disc away with his glove, but it was initially ruled a goal.

The call was overturned on a review that showed the puck never fully crossed the line, forcing the shootout.

Game Notes

Colorado improved to 4-3 on an eight-game homestand...St. Louis had won its three previous road games and fell to 6-6-2 as the visitor...O'Reilly has two goals and three assists in his last two games...The Blues had been 11-0 on the season when leading after two periods before Friday.






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