Devils 1 - 2 Avalanche
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Avs send Devils to record-setting SO loss

Jan 17, 2014 - 5:59 AM Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly both scored in the shootout as the Colorado Avalanche edged the New Jersey Devils 2-1 at Pepsi Center.

Duchene, celebrating his 23rd birthday, opened the shootout by slipping the puck through the pads of New Jersey goalie Cory Schneider.

Colorado netminder Semyon Varlamov, who robbed Jaromir Jagr on a 2-on-1 rush with a glove save in overtime, was down but managed to make a left toe save on Patrik Elias' backhand bid.

After a scoreless second round, Ryan O'Reilly, the supplier of Colorado's goal in regulation, secured the win with a wrister from the right circle that went in off Schneider's left shoulder.

Varlamov made 33 saves for Colorado, which improved to 7-1-1 in its last nine games. He is 10-0-5 in his last 16 games (15 starts).

"(Varlamov) stands on his head all year and he does it again tonight, makes some huge stops," O'Reilly said.

Schneider stopped 37 shots for the Devils, who are 0-8 in the shootout this season and have lost an NHL-record 12 straight.

New Jersey has still recorded at least a point in six straight games (3-0-3).

After mustering only two shots in the second period, the Devils pushed back in the third. They peppered Varlamov with 18 shots and drew even on Reid Boucher's deflection at the 8:59 mark.

New Jersey worked the puck low to high and Jon Merrill then dished to Andrei Loktionov, whose one-timer from the right circle caught a piece of Boucher standing in front of Varlamov.

"I didn't like anybody in the first two periods other than Schneider," said Devils head coach Peter DeBoer. "I liked everybody in the last 20 minutes."

O'Reilly scored in front after a nice feed by Patrick Bordeleau from behind the net at 8:55 of the first period. It was his 18th goal of the season, tying his career high set in 2011-12.

Game Notes

The Avalanche matched the 2000-01 Stanley Cup-winning club as the fastest to 30 wins in franchise history (47th game) ... The Avalanche were without forward Paul Stastny (leg) for a second straight game ... Elias was activated from injured reserve by the Devils before the game. He had been out since Dec. 31 with what the team called "total body soreness" ... Colorado improved to 12-3-1 against Eastern Conference teams this season.






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