Final - 2OT
Duchene, Avs get by Jets in shootout
Dec 13, 2013 - 6:24 AM Winnipeg, MB (SportsNetwork.com) - Matt Duchene had two goals and an assist to spark a Colorado rally, then tallied again in the shootout to help give the Avalanche a 4-3 decision over the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre.Ryan O'Reilly notched a goal and an assist and P.A. Parenteau delivered the clincher in the deciding phase for Colorado, which bounced back from an early 2-0 deficit to halt a two-game skid.
The Avalanche also received an outstanding effort from Semyon Varlamov in the win, with the goaltender coming up with 34 saves prior to stoning both Jets skaters he faced in the shootout.
"We got behind the eight-ball early, but it shows what a resilient and mature group we have to come out with two points," Duchene said.
Winnipeg was dealt a fifth straight home loss despite two goals from Blake Wheeler. Michael Frolik also scored in the setback, while Ondrej Pavelec finished with 23 saves.
The Avalanche allowed two goals in the game's first 5 1/2 minutes and were thoroughly outplayed for most of the opening period before Duchene gave his team some much-needed momentum. The standout forward took a pass from O'Reilly in the neutral zone, then outraced the Winnipeg defense before beating Pavelec stick-side with a well-placed wrister with just under five minutes to go in the session.
Duchene later had a hand in two more goals during a second period in which Colorado dominated en route to taking its first lead of the night.
He slipped a feed from behind the Winnipeg net that O'Reilly one-timed home for a 2-2 deadlock with 5:13 remaining in the frame, then led a transition rush that ended when Duchene backhanded home a centering give from Nathan MacKinnon just three seconds before the period closed.
"They took advantage of some of our mistakes," Wheeler said.
The Jets capitalized on a Colorado penalty to draw even midway through the third. Mark Schiefele threw a shot on net that was stopped by Varlamov, but Wheeler was in position to put in the carom and knot the contest at 3-3.
Varlamov kept it tied with several good saves late, including a turn-away of O'Reilly in close in overtime, then denied Devin Setoguchi to begin the shootout before Duchene blasted the puck through Pavelec's pads.
After Varlamov got a piece of Andrew Ladd's attempt, Parenteau ended it with a riser over Pavelec's left arm.
The Jets came out strong in a first period they controlled much of the way, with Wheeler giving his team the upper hand a mere 24 seconds in when he collected the rebound of teammate Tobias Enstrom's shot and fired it past Varlamov.
A penalty by Colorado's Nate Guenin for shooting the puck over the glass enabled Winnipeg to extend the margin around five minutes later, as Frolik successfully redirected Jacob Trouba's blast from the left point while charging the Avalanche net.
Game Notes
Duchene had gone seven straight games without a goal since returning from an oblique injury on Nov. 27, while O'Reilly snapped an eight-game drought ... Colorado's 42 points after 30 games is the third-most in franchise history ... The Avs are now 5-0-0 in games decided in either overtime or by a shootout this season and 10-1-0 in one-goal affairs ... Winnipeg went 2-for-6 on the power play after going 1-for-22 with the man advantage over their last eight tests ... Colorado has not scored a power-play goal in nine straight, its longest drought since moving to Denver. The Avalanche are 0-for-24 over that stretch.
- COLORADO: 4
WINNIPEG: 3
Final - 2OT
Dec 12 10:46 PM - COLORADO: 3
WINNIPEG: 3
End of OT
Dec 12 10:39 PM - COLORADO: 3
WINNIPEG: 3
End of Regulation
Dec 12 10:29 PM - COLORADO: 3
WINNIPEG: 2
End of 2nd
Dec 12 9:31 PM - COLORADO: 1
WINNIPEG: 2
End of 1st
Dec 12 8:42 PM - COLORADO: 0
WINNIPEG: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Dec 12 8:09 PM
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