Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - David Savard recorded the tie-breaking goal with 1:01 remaining to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center.
Brandon Dubinsky potted his first two goals of the season earlier to help the Blue Jackets bounce back from Saturday's 6-3 loss at Arizona. Ryan Johansen scored as well in support of Curtis McElhinney's 27-save effort.
Colorado, which began its three-game homestand with a pair of victories, received goals from Jarome Iginla, Gabriel Landeskog and Cody McLeod. Semyon Varlamov finished with 23 saves in the setback.
Savard committed a costly gaffe in the game's opening minute, turning the puck over in his own end to set up Iginla's marker just 30 seconds in. The blueliner atoned for the miscue with time winding down, however, one-timing a give from Nick Foligno that Varlamov couldn't handle as it trickled into the Colorado net.
"It was not my best game, but everybody kept positive about the mistake," Savard said. "Foligno made a great play (on the winning goal). I was just happy to get open and get the puck."
The Avalanche had battled back from one-goal deficits twice earlier, the last when McLeod snuck a wraparound attempt under McElhinney's skate to knot the score at 3-3 with 4:30 left in the second period.
"We came back, but it was tough to give up that last-minute goal," Iginla remarked.
Colorado's Matt Duchesne had a shot rattle off the post just seconds after McLeod's goal. Teammate Alex Tanguay also caught iron on a breakaway chance previously in the period.
"We had our chances," said Iginla. "We played a good, hard, disciplined game. One more minute, we would have had it."
The Blue Jackets recovered from Savard's early mistake behind Dubinsky, who pulled Columbus even with 8:25 elapsed in the first period with a nifty re-direction of Cody Goloubef's centering pass. He later sent his team in front 1:37 into the second by collecting a loose puck in Colorado's end and firing it by Varlamov.
Colorado, which racked up 19 second-period shots after mustering just three in the first, forged a 2-2 tie less than four minutes later when Landeskog fought off a check and drove to the net before beating McElhinney with a well-placed backhander.
Johansen put the Jackets back in front less than 2 1/2 minutes afterward by connecting on a quick shot from the slot off a crisp pass from Scott Hartnell.
Game Notes
Goloubef, Hartnell and Foligno each had two assists for Columbus, with Goloubef's his first two as an NHLer ... Johansen extended his point streak to seven games, during which he's posted three goals and four assists ... Dubinsky's goals were the 100th and 101st of his career ... The Blue Jackets haven't dropped back-to-back games since an 0-5-1 slide from Nov. 18-29 ... Landeskog had gone 14 straight games since his last goal, which occurred Nov. 29 against Dallas.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.