Stastny's late goal lifts Avalanche over Jets 3-2

[October 28, 2013]  DENVER (AP) -- Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist in the third period, Semyon Varlamov stopped 24 shots, and the streaking Colorado Avalanche beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Sunday night.

Matt Duchene and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who under coach Patrick Roy are 10-1 for the first time in franchise history. Gabriel Landeskog added two assists.

Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little had a goal and assist each for the Jets.

The Avalanche trailed 2-1 entering the third but came out strong at the start of the period. They put nine quick shots on goalie Al Montoya before Hejda tied it with 12:47 left on an assist by Stastny.

Stastny netted the winner with 5:28 left to give Colorado its fourth straight victory.

Montoya stopped 33 shots before being pulled for an extra skater with 1:30 left. Despite controlling the puck in Colorado's end, the Jets managed just one shot with the advantage.

Wheeler gave Winnipeg a 2-1 lead when his hard shot from the right side slipped through Varlamov's legs with 9:58 left in the period.

Montoya tried to make it stand up but after tremendous pressure, the Avalanche tied it. Stastny's shot from a sharp angle bounced out to Hejda, who used a screen by Alex Tanguay screen to beat Montoya with 12:47 left.

The Avalanche scored first when Ryan Wilson started a 2-on-1 break by putting a pass on the tape of Steve Downie's stick in the neutral zone. Montoya stopped Downie's slap shot from just inside the blue line, but the puck caromed right to Duchene, who was skating down the left side. He scored in the open net at 8:04 of the first.

Little matched the goal midway through the period after Nick Holden's shot off the back boards bounced to him in the right circle. His one-timer beat Varlamov stick side.

NOTES: Winnipeg C Olli Jokinen played in his 1,100th NHL game. ... Duchene matched Joe Sakic and Chris Stewart for the most goals scored in the month of October in a season since the team moved from Quebec. Sakic scored nine in 1997, and Stewart matched it three years later. ... The Avalanche have killed 18 straight penalties.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.