DENVER —Back in Denver after a five-game road trip, the Avalanche on Sunday put its one-game winning streak on the line against Tampa Bay at the Pepsi Center. Colorado rallied from a 2-0 third-period deficit, forcing overtime with 41.9 seconds left in regulation, before the Lightning’s Jonathan Drouin scored 2:27 into overtime for the visitors’ 3-2 triumph.
Drouin outmuscled Avs winger Matt Nieto in front of Colorado’s net and beat goalie Calvin Pickard with a backhander from the crease. The hosts produced 14 shots in third period, their total from the first two periods combined.
“We didn’t quit and kept fighting in the third period,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “To fight back like that and find a way to finally get one 6-on-5 was good. Guys were shooting the puck. It’s a good point. It’s a character point, but we just weren’t able to get it done in overtime.”
Mikko Rantanen and Matt Duchene (6-on-5) scored in the third period for the Avs, who were coming off a 2-1 overtime win at Carolina on Friday to complete a 1-4 road trip. Duchene’s tying goal, a slap shot from the right circle, caromed in off two Lightning players with Pickard on the bench for a sixth attacker.
“Something we hadn’t done all year — score with an empty net,” Duchene said. “We were due to come back on a team and force OT. We were able to do it tonight. We didn’t get the result we wanted. but it wasn’t for lack of trying, for sure. We had some really good looks in OT.”
Tampa Bay played Saturday night at Dallas, losing 4-3 in overtime. The Bolts have now produced points in their last six road games.
Rantanen scored early in the third to cut the Avs’ deficit to 2-1. He followed a Blake Comeau shot and put the puck top-shelf over Denver-born goalie Ben Bishop, who was looking for his 21st career shutout.
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