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 Defenseman Andre Benoit's goal with 31 seconds left in the
overtime period gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2, come-from-behind
win over the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena on Thursday night.
"We found a way to win that hockey game. We were sticking to it and
found a way to win," Colorado coach Patrick Roy said.
The Avalanche trailed 2-1 after two periods, but right wing P.A.
Parenteau tied the game 5:48 into the second period when he scored
on a backhander from in front after Detroit goaltender Howard's
stick had been accidentally knocked out of his hand by teammate
right winger Johan Franzen. It was Parenteau's 13th goal.
Benoit scored the overtime goal on a one-timer from the left circle
off a pass from rookie center Nathan MacKinnon. It was Benoit's
fourth goal.
"That was a great pass by Nate MacKinnon and I got a good shot off,
" Benoit said.
The assist extended MacKinnon's point streak to 13 games and broke
Wayne Gretzky's record for longest point streak for an 18-year-old.
Gretzky set the record during the 1979-80 season.
 "It's pretty cool. I want to be as consistent as possible. He
(Gretzky) probably doubled my point total in those games," said
MacKinnon, who has five goals and 13 assists during the stretch.
He also leads all NHL rookies this season with 22 goals and 51
points.
Center Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist for Colorado (41-17-5),
which won its fourth straight. Defenseman Erik Johnson had two
assists, and goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere had 35 saves.
"Jiggy (giguere) was big when we needed him," Duchene said. "He held
us in there until we could get the winner."
Defenseman Niklas Kronwall and right winger Tomas Jurco scored for
Detroit (28-21-13. Goalie Jimmy Howard made 22 saves.
"I thought we played good. We've just got to keep playing like that,
let's bottle it and do it again and we're going to win more than we
lose," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "I thought all four lines
did a lot of good things."
Detroit was without its top two players — center and captain Henrik
Zetterberg (out for the remainder regular season due to back
surgery) and Pavel Datsyuk (knee) — as it battles for a playoff
spot in the Eastern Conference.
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"I thought we did a lot of great things tonight. It's important to
remember that we still got a point, it keeps us in the race here,"
Howard said. "It doesn't matter, every single night we've got to
find a way to get points."
Jurco's power-play goal with 7:50 left in the second period gave the
Red Wings a 2-1 lead. He scored on a one-timer from just outside the
crease for his fifth goal. It came with Avalanche defenseman Nick
Holden in the penalty box for tripping.
Duchene put Colorado on the board and tied the game at 1-1, 9:49
into the second period.
His 20th goal came when he flubbed on a rebound off the end boards
and the puck bounced in off the skate of Franzen.
Kronwall opened the scoring with 7:27 left in the first period with
his seventh goal. He worked a give-and-go play with center Joakim
Andersson and beat Giguere with a backhand shot from the bottom of
the right circle.
Detroit defenseman Kyle Quincey hit the goal post 9:04 into the
game.
NOTES: The No. 5 jersey of former Detroit captain and D Nicklas
Lidstrom was retired and raised to the Joe Louis Arena rafters
during a ceremony before the game. He joined Gordie Howe, Ted
Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio, Terry Sawchuk, Sid Abel and Steve Yzerman
in having a number retired by the Red Wings. Lidstrom won seven
Norris Trophies and four Stanley Cups. ... At Wednesday's trade
deadline, Colorado acquired G Reto Berra from Calgary for a
second-round pick in the 2014 draft. Semyon Varlamov backed up
Jean-Sebastien Giguere on Thursday night. ... It was also the Red
Wings' debut of C David Legwand. The native of the Detroit suburb of
Grosse Pointe Woods was acquired from the Nashville Predators on
Wednesday for RW Patrick Eaves, prospect C Calle Jarnkrok and a
conditional draft pick.
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