In Denver, Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon struck for the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-2 decision over the visiting Vancouver Canucks.
The final score was decided in the skills competition when Carl Soderberg scored in the sixth round of the skills show.
Nathan MacKinnon scored in regulation for the Avs – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“I liked our overall team game,” Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said. “We were a little unfortunate not to come out of the first with a bigger lead, even in the second, and the next thing you know they make a nice face-off play at the end to tie it.”
The win pushed the Avs into the second wild card spot.
Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves to get the win.
“It’s exciting to be in the playoffs, but all the teams around us, they’re not just going to sleep, they’re going to continue to play hard,” Varlamov, said. “Everybody’s winning, so we got to keep winning the games and collect two points.”
Josh Leivo scored late in the third period to force the extra session and Antoine Roussel also scored for the Canucks.
“Anything can happen in this League. I know we’re [five] points away from the playoffs, but we get three wins in a row and someone loses and we’re right back in. We’ve just got to continue to work hard and get to that point,” the Canucks’ Nikolay Goldobin said after the loss.
[WATCH: All Canucks vs. Avalanche highlights]
Jacob Markstrom made 43 saves in the loss.
“[Markstrom] gave us a heck of a game, especially in the first period,” Canucks head coach Travis Green said. “We weren’t very good in the first. We got better in the second and a lot better in the third. You need good goaltending this time of the year. When you have key injuries like we do, you need it even more. He was a rock tonight.”
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