Lightning 3 - 6 Avalanche
Final
  for this game

Holden leads 3rd-period surge, Avs top Lightning

Mar 3, 2014 - 4:18 AM Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Nick Holden scored twice during a four-goal third period as the Colorado Avalanche doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-3 at Pepsi Center.

Colorado trailed 3-2 heading into the third period, but Holden tied it 5:12 into the frame and Erik Johnson, who returned to the lineup after serving a two-game suspension, delivered the game-winner at 16:05. Holden and Paul Stastny added empty-netters for the final margin.

"I just tried to make a play," said Johnson.

Tyson Barrie and Ryan O'Reilly also scored for the Avalanche, winners in three of their last four games. Semyon Varlamov turned aside 31-of-34 shots to earn the win.

Nate Thompson posted his second multi-goal effort of the season with a pair of second-period markers. Tom Pyatt scored the other goal for Tampa Bay and Ben Bishop allowed four goals on 33 shots.

"It's tough for us right now," said Thompson. "We had a couple breakdowns at the end and those ended up in the back of the net."

After a misdirection play to the left of Bishop early in the third, Holden found himself all alone in front of the goal. O'Reilly controlled the puck and fed him for the equalizer.

Nearly 11 minutes later, Johnson stole the disc in the Tampa Bay zone and skated around before wristing a shot that snuck past Bishop for the eventual winner.

Earlier, Pyatt opened the scoring at 16:49 of the first when he played give- and-go with Teddy Purcell and found the back of the net with a wrister, but Barrie and O'Reilly scored before the period ended to give Colorado a 2-1 edge after 20 minutes.

Michael Kostka assisted on both Thompson goals in the second, which came at the 6:40 and 17:37 marks.

Game Notes

Nathan MacKinnon had two assists, giving him at least one point in 11 straight games ... Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas left the game in the second period with a leg injury and did not return.






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