Coyotes 2 - 3 Avalanche
Final
  for this game

Avalanche slip past Coyotes

Dec 30, 2011 - 6:12 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Gabriel Landeskog scored the winner early in the third period, sending Colorado past Phoenix, 3-2, at Pepsi Center.

Kevin Porter and Stefan Elliott also tallied for the Avalanche, who have taken seven of their last nine. Semyon Varlamov stopped 25 shots to earn his 12th win of the year.

The victory was bittersweet as star forward Matt Duchene left the game in the first period with an apparent right leg injury and did not return.

Mikkel Boedker notched both goals for the Coyotes, losers of four straight.

Jason LaBarbera played well in defeat, making 32 stops.

Landeskog provided a one-goal margin for the Avs at the 9:10 mark of the final period, as his spinning redirection of a Chuck Kobasew pass from the left circle eluded LaBarbera.

"Chuck did a great job of getting me the puck, and I was lucky to put it where I wanted to," Landeskog admitted. "We repeated that team effort from last game, and I'm happy to get the win."

Clinging to the 3-2 edge, Colorado successfully killed off a boarding minor to T.J. Galiardi taken with 4:37 remaining, then forechecked well and prevented the Coyotes from sending an extra attacker on until well inside the final minute.

Porter gave the Avs a 1-0 edge at 7:44 of the first, when he deftly tipped in a Paul Statsny offering from the right side.

Boedker evened the score at 12:31 on a rising wrister from the right circle which hit the net between the far post and crossbar.

Elliott restored the hosts' slim edge with 4:31 left in the first with a blistering drive from between the circles, but Boedker forged a 2-2 deadlock late in the second with a slick shot from the right circle.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson was given a penalty shot with 29 seconds remaining in the middle period, but Varlamov was equal to the task.

"It's frustrating since we played some close games. We've had something like seven one-goal games in a row and we've won just two of them," said Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett. "When you're chasing the puck all game, you're going to get tired."

Game Notes

Colorado posted its first home win against Phoenix since February 12, 2010, snapping a three-game skid...It was Boedker's first multi-goal game of the year and snapped a 12-game drought...Varlamov set a new career high by making his 26th start, snapping the record he set of 25 last year in Washington.






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