In Anaheim, the Ducks rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to the Colorado Avalanche to take a 4-2 lead in the third period on Sunday night. 
As is their habit this season, epically of late, the Ducks surrendered the lead and lost, in extra time, 5-4, to the Avs.
Colorado scored three straight power play goals for the win.
Mikko Rantanen scored his second of the game, on the power play, to get the Avalanche within 4-3.
Nathan MacKinnon hit for the tying goal late in the frame on the power play, and then won it on a power play goal late in the extra session.
“Super proud of our club,” MacKinnon said. “The boys are grinding hard all season long. We’re back in first in our division now after a really tough season. We’ve been in [Stanley Cup] Playoff mode for a couple months now.”
Pavel Francouz made 19 saves in the Colorado win.
The Avalanche moved to 49-24-6, and moved into first place in the Central Division.
“Five or six years ago, [Colorado] finished 34 games under .500,” Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. “And look at them now.”
J.T. Compher staked the Avalanche to a 1-0 lead in the first period; Rantanen extended the advantage to 2-0 in the middle frame.
“We had a lot of good looks in the [first] period and even in the second we could have scored a couple more,” Rantanen said.
Frank Vatrano scored twice in the game, his first trimmed the deficit to 2-1. .
“We could have mailed it in here [after we] went down by two goals,” Vatrano said. “But we had the will to come back.”
Adam Henrique knotted it at 2-2 off a breakaway.
“[The Ducks] know they’re out of a playoff spot. Regardless of that, they’re still fighting for their jobs for next year,” Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor said. “Lots of young and hungry guys, guys that are looking to make a splash at the end of the season.”
Vatrano scored at 5:18 of the third for a 3-2 lead to Anaheim.
“They have a powerhouse team,” Henrique said. “If you go out there and just float around, you’ll get embarrassed.”
Brett Leason scored just over two minutes later for the 4-2 lead that evaporated.
“I think we created some good chances, especially on that first 5-on-3,” Compher said. “We were taking our shots, a couple posts; we can’t get discouraged by it. I think we were doing a lot of the right things.”
Lukas Dostal made 41 saves in the Ducks loss.
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