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Duchene nets OT winner to lift Avs to fifth straight victory

Dec 18, 2010 - 5:14 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Matt Duchene scored 2:36 into overtime to help the Colorado Avalanche take a 6-5 win over the Ottawa Senators at Pepsi Center.

In the extra session, Duchene got the puck from Tomas Fleischmann along the boards near mid-ice and flew into the Ottawa end. From the left circle, he let fly with a shot that beat Brian Elliott for the win.

"I got a good pass and I was off to the races," said Duchene. "The puck rolled a bit, but I was able to get it on net. It was a great feeling getting that, and we are a good comeback team."

Kevin Porter had a goal and an assist while Ryan O'Reilly, T.J. Galiardi and Cody McLeod each had a goal for the Avalanche, who have won a season-high five straight. Craig Anderson stopped 24 shots in the win.

Milan Michalek, Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, Matt Carkner and Erik Karlsson all lit the lamp for the Senators, who have dropped four of six. Elliot was tagged for six goals on 25 shots in the loss.

"They are really good around the net, one of the best in the league," said Alfredsson. "We thought we defended pretty good, but they made a great play and were able to tie it then win it."

Karlsson got the scoring started in the game with a wrister that blew past Anderson 2:14 in, while Galiardi scored less than two minutes later off a redirect of a Kevin Shattenkirk blast from the right point.

Michalek's goal off a turnover at the 7:48 mark of the first gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead.

McLeod scored during a scrum in front halfway through the second to again tie the game, but Ottawa went back in front a minute and a half later on Carkner's first goal of the season.

Duchene's first goal of the game came on the power play with 3:05 left in the second as he whacked in the bouncing puck from the right side to tie the game at 3-3.

Porter chipped the puck in from in front at the 2:08 mark of the third period to give Colorado its first lead of the game, but Spezza scored on the power play off a tip-in at the 4:29 mark, and Alfredsson gave his team a 5-4 lead when he took a lead pass and flung it past a prone Anderson with 8:45 to play.

However, the Avs again tied the game with 3:13 to play as O'Reilly's shot from the left circle on the fly got past Elliott to send the game to overtime.

Game Notes

Ottawa's Pascal Leclaire was scheduled to start the game in net, but he suffered a lower-body injury during warmups, and Elliott started in his place...Colorado hosts Montreal on Sunday...Ottawa returns home to face Washington on Sunday...The Avs have taken four straight against Ottawa...Colorado went 1-for-3 on the power play while Ottawa was 1-for-5.