Duchene's OT goal lifts Avalanche over Sharks 3-2

[March 11, 2013]  DENVER (AP) -- Matt Duchene scored his second goal of the night just as time was about to expire in overtime, lifting the Colorado Avalanche over the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Sunday to stretch their home winning streak to a season-high five straight games.

Duchene, who has three goals in his last two games, wristed a shot past Antti Niemi after taking a pass from P.A. Parenteau.

Officials upheld the goal after a replay review showed Duchene got the shot off an instant before time would have run out in the extra period.

Patrick Marleau scored San Jose's first goal, the 400th of his career. Logan Couture tied the score 2-all at 16:35 of the third when he followed a turnover by Colorado with a slap shot that got past goalie Semyon Varlamov.

Ryan O'Reilly also scored in a second straight game for the Avalanche, who beat the Sharks for the first time in the third and final meeting between the teams during the NHL's lockout-shortened season.

Duchene, who matched a career high with four points in Friday night's 6-2 win over Chicago that stopped the Blackhawks' record season-opening points streak at 24 games, got Colorado on the board at 6:47 of the first period. With the Avalanche on a power play, Parenteau sent a pass across the crease through traffic that reached Duchene, and he lifted the puck over Niemi's right shoulder for his 10th of the season.

Midway through the second, the Avalanche killed off a San Jose power play with the help of some tenacious goaltending by Varlamov. The Sharks peppered Colorado's goalie with seven shots over the 2-minute power play but he turned the flurry away with an array of glove, stick, kick and body saves.

Less than a minute later, right wing Aaron Palushaj led a 2-on-1 rush before centering a pass to the streaking O'Reilly, who knocked the puck into the net past Niemi on his glove side at 6:58.

San Jose pulled within a goal at 19:20 of the second when Marleau redirected a shot from Justin Braun past the surprised Varlamov.

NOTES: With an assist on Duchene's first-period goal, Parenteau extended his career-high points streak to six games. ... The Sharks won the two previous meetings between the teams, one of which went to a shootout. ... Marleau leads the Sharks with 13 goals this season. ... The next assist by Colorado's Chuck Kobasew will be the 100th of his career.

[Associated Press; By DENNIS GEORGATOS]

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