Barrie, Avs down Sharks to even series at 1-1

[April 29, 2019]  Tyson Barrie collected one goal and two assists, while Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog each added one goal and one assist as the visiting Colorado Avalanche evened their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series with a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.

Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves to backstop his team to a victory that left the best-of-seven series tied at one win apiece. Game 3 will be in Denver on Tuesday.

The win snapped Colorado's six-game losing streak at San Jose, dating to December 2015.

With his team trailing 1-0 after the first period, Landeskog pulled the Avalanche even with a nifty deflection at 8:21 of the second frame. Shortly after his team killed a penalty, Barrie used his great skating ability to elude a check before sending a point shot that Landeskog deflected from the doorstep.

Then it was Barrie's turn to light the lamp with his first NHL playoff goal and put his team ahead for good. Sharks goalie Martin Jones stopped a point shot, but the rebound caromed all the way to Barrie at the right circle, and he just got enough with his one-timer into the top corner to put the Avs ahead 2-1 at 16:31 of the second period.

That set the stage for a thrilling third period. Former Sharks wing Matt Nieto scored for the Avalanche to make it 3-1 just past the midway point of the final period, pushing the puck over the line as Brenden Dillon thought he had pulled it from harm's way off the goal line behind Jones. It was Nieto's third goal of the playoffs.

Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer (31) and center Nathan MacKinnon (29) defend against a shot by San Jose Sharks right wing Kevin Labanc (62) as left wing Marcus Sorensen (20) stumbles in the third period of game two of the second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

But Brent Burns pulled the Sharks within one with 4:34 left in regulation, sending a shot that ricocheted off Barrie's stick and into the Colorado goal. The tally came moments after Burns' point shot hit Alexander Kerfoot's skate, knocking the blade off and leaving the Avalanche temporarily with only four able skaters.

MacKinnon's empty netter with 62 seconds remaining made it 4-2 and eventually became the game winner, because Burns scored with 11 seconds left to round out the scoring and cap a three-point game.

MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen have each collected at least one point in six straight playoff games.

Evander Kane scored in the first period for the Sharks, who received a 28-save performance from Jones.

--Field Level Media

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