Penguins 3 - 2 Avalanche
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Pens edge Avs in SO

Apr 7, 2014 - 3:24 AM Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Jussi Jokinen netted the lone shootout goal in the second round, as the shorthanded Pittsburgh Penguins picked up a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday at Pepsi Center.

After the first three shooters came up empty in the shootout, Jokinen charged down the right side, cut in front and waited patiently for Semyon Varlamov to drop before roofing a wrister to put the Penguins on top.

Marc-Andre Fleury, who finished with 39 saves, then turned aside Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog to send Pittsburgh to its fourth win in six games.

Brandon Sutter supplied both regulation goals for the Penguins, who were playing without captain Sidney Crosby, left wing Chris Kunitz and defensemen Olli Maatta and Brooks Orpik due to various injuries.

"We got to the rink tonight and then we found out about who was out of the lineup," Sutter said. "I'll take the win any way we can."

Ryan O'Reilly and Patrick Bordeleau each potted a third-period goal for the Avalanche, who moved within four points of St. Louis for the top spot in the Central Division, despite having their six-game win streak halted.

The Blues, who lost to the Blackhawks Sunday, occupy first with 111 points, while Chicago sits two points back of the Avalanche in third.

Varlamov made 30 saves in the setback.

Sutter scored twice in a 3:22 span early in the second to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead, but O'Reilly sliced the margin in half 18 seconds into the third when he pounded one home from the low right side of a slick behind-the-net feed from Jamie McGinn.

Bordeleau brought the Avs even with just under three minutes left in regulation, tipping in a Tyson Barrie shot from the high slot at 16:47.

"We came out in the third and we really wanted to finish strong," Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon said. "It's just good to get that extra point tonight. We just gained one on St. Louis."

An entertaining overtime failed to produce a winner.

After a scoreless first frame, Sutter put Pittsburgh on the board 3:46 into the second when he converted a 2-on-1 rush with a wicked wrister from the right circle.

With the Pens on the power play just over three minutes later, Sutter camped out in the slot and re-directed a Jokinen pass into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead at 7:08.

Game Notes

Crosby missed his first game of the season with an upper-body injury ... Pittsburgh closed out its road scheduled with a 23-15-3 record ... Colorado wrapped up its home slate at 26-11-4 ... Colorado went 0-for-5 on the power play.






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