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NHL

Penguins score 3 goals in 3:24 to rally past Avalanche again, 4-2

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, left, looks to pass the puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson defends in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (The Associated Press)

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    Pittsburgh Penguins center Matt Cullen, right, celebrates scoring a goal with right wing Patric Hornqvist, center, of Sweden, and left wing Sergei Plotnikov, of Russia, against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (The Associated Press)

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    Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Johnston directs his players against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (The Associated Press)

DENVER – Beau Bennett and Olli Maatta combined for three goals in 3:24 during the third period and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Bennett had two goals during the flurry and Maatta had the game winner. Maatta also had an assist.

Bennett tied it at 2 with a backhander at 7:19 of the third, and Maatta put Pittsburgh ahead 2:05 later when his sharp-angle shot went off goaltender Reto Berra and popped up in the air. The puck hit the crossbar and went off Colorado's John Mitchell and into the net.

Bennett scored his second of the night and fifth of the season 1:19 later.

Marc-Andre Fleury had 24 saves for Pittsburgh, and Matt Cullen also scored.

Matt Duchene and Erik Johnson scored first-period goals for the Avalanche. Berra finished with 29 saves.

The Penguins nearly duplicated their win against Colorado in Pittsburgh last month. The Penguins scored three times in a span of 2:08 of the second period to beat the Avalanche 4-3 on Nov. 19.

Duchene kept up his strong play with his 14th goal in the last 18 games. He gave Colorado a 1-0 lead when he picked up a loose puck in the left circle and beat Fleury with a shot to the far post 5:43 into the game.

It was Duchene's team-leading 15th of the season.

Cullen tied it at 10:56 when he deflected a shot from the point for his third goal of the season.

The Avalanche got the lead back at the 15-minute mark when Johnson carried the puck into the Pittsburgh end, floated a pass to Carl Soderberg and then redirected the return pass. It was his fifth of the season.

Colorado had a chance to extend the lead with a 5-on-3 power play early in the third, but the Penguins killed off both penalties.

The Penguins were playing a day after forward Pascal Dupuis announced he was retiring because of a medical condition related to blood clots. Dupuis, 36, played in just 18 games this season and 16 in 2014-15 due to blood clots.

NOTES: Patric Hornqvist had two assists or Pittsburgh. ... Avalanche RW Gabriel Landeskog was a late scratch with a back injury. C Mikhail Grigorenko took his place on the top line. ... Penguins D Kris Letang returned to the lineup after missing the past two games with an undisclosed injury.