Avs edge Wild for third consecutive win
The official game recap Minnesota Wild vs Colorado Avalanche.The Colorado Avalanche got a goal in each period and another stellar performance from goaltender Semyon Varlamov in a 3-2 win against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday.
The victory was Colorado's third straight, and its first against Minnesota (36-23-7) in five games this season. It pulled the Avalanche within seven points of the Winnipeg Jets for the second Western Conference wild-card spot for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Colorado trails the Wild by eight points.
For Varlamov, it was his second victory in a 24-hour span; he also helped the Avalanche in a 4-0 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
The loss ended Minnesota's five-game winning streak and was the fourth regulation loss for goaltender Devan Dubnyk since he was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes on Jan. 14.
Varlamov saw most of his work in the final half of the first period. He made 11 saves during the first 20 minutes and 29 overall before leaving late in the third period with an apparent injury.
Colorado (30-25-11) didn't get a shot on goal until 14:20 of the first, but got on the board late in the period on a tip-in by Cody McLeod at 18:05.
The Avalanche got another late goal in the second period when a slap shot from the point by defenseman Zach Redmond eluded Dubnyk at 18:09.
Early in the third, Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog put in a loose puck in the crease for his 19th at 1:19 with Colorado on a power play. It was the first power-play goal scored by either team against the other this season.
Chris Stewart scored his first goal in a Wild uniform, dumping the puck into the corner and having it bounce back into the slot and off an Avalanche defender and in at 14:04.
Varlamov left the game seconds later. He remained in the game after taking a puck up high in the second period. He did not return to the bench.
Wild forward Thomas Vanek scored with 19.4 seconds remaining to make it a one-goal game.
Avalanche backup goalie Reto Berra made three saves in the final 5:44.
Dubnyk made 18 saves for Minnesota.
-- by Dan Myers for NHL.com --
Eurolanche.com, Worldwide, eurolanche@eurolanche.com
09/03/2015 - 02:00
