Duchene beats buzzer as Avs edge Sharks
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Matt Duchene scored his second goal of the game with less than a second left in overtime as the Colorado Avalanche prevailed with a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
Although the Avalanche saw their two-goal lead disappear late in the third, Duchene lifted them in the extra session when he fired the game-winner off a pass from P.A. Parenteau from in close just before the buzzer sounded.
"This feels awesome, at first I did not think it was going to count," said Duchene. "It was a good play by three guys who made it happen and I was just able to club it in. We're getting great, big efforts from everyone."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Parenteau registered assists on both of Duchene's goals and Ryan O'Reilly lit the lamp as well for Colorado, which has won back-to-back games and five in a row at home after ending Chicago's 24-game point streak on Friday.
Semyon Varlamov stopped 36 shots in the victory.
Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture each scored for San Jose, losers of three in a row. Despite making 39 saves, Antti Niemi suffered his first defeat in seven games against the Avalanche as a member of the Sharks.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I heard the horn and I knew it was already by me," said Niemi. "I was hoping they would change it in Toronto, but I wasn't very optimistic."
The Avalanche jumped ahead early after San Jose's Adam Burish was called for interference 5:46 into the first period. A minute later, Duchene sent a wrister from just inside the left circle past Niemi for a 1-0 lead.
The hosts doubled their advantage at the 6:58 mark of the second when O'Reilly tipped in a shot from Aaron Palushaj, however the Sharks were able to get on the board with 40 seconds left in the period.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Marleau scored his first goal in seven games when he deflected Justin Braun's shot toward the net past Varlamov, making it 2-1.
San Jose took the momentum into the third and Couture provided his 10th goal of the season with 3:25 left on a one-timer from Joe Thornton, who stole the puck in Colorado's end to set up the tying score.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Sharks have recorded at least a point in 14 straight games against Colorado ... Marleau scored his 400th goal of his career ... The Sharks were 0-for-5 on the power play.