Avalanche 5, Coyotes 4 (SO): Matt Duchene and PA Parenteau scored in the shootout as Colorado spoiled Phoenix's home finale.
Parenteau added a goal and an assist in regulation while defenseman Stefan Elliott, Patrick Bordeleau and Ryan O'Reilly also scored for the Avalanche, who finished a league-worst 4-16-4 on the road. Semyon Varlamov stopped all six shots he faced in relief of Jean-Sebastien Giguere (27 saves), who left the game late in the third period with an undisclosed injury.
Antoine Vermette scored twice, blue-liner David Schlemko and Rob Klinkhammer also tallied and Mike Smith turned aside 24 shots for the Coyotes, who failed to complete a sweep of the three-game season series against Colorado.
After Varlamov denied Mikkel Boedker on Phoenix's first shootout attempt, Duchene fired the puck between Smith's pads. Radim Vrbata lost control of the puck and never got off a shot, but Parenteau beat Smith high to the glove side to clinch the victory.
Phoenix got off to strong start as Schlemko and Vermette gave the club a 2-0 lead less than nine minutes into the contest. The Avalanche scored three times in a 4:07 span late in the first period to move ahead, but Klinkhammer scored a fluke power-play goal with 4:49 remaining in the second, firing a shot from along the end line on the left side that hit defenseman Greg Zanon's leg and bounced off Giguere's back before going in to make it 3-3.
O'Reilly converted a power-play chance with 34 seconds left in session to put Colorado back in front. But Vermette buried a rebound in the crease during a man advantage at 5:56 of the third to forge another tie.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Parenteau's goal was his 18th in 47 games. He tallied 18 times in 80 contests with the New York Islanders last season. The 30-year-old is two goals shy of his career high set in 2010-11 with New York. ... Giguere exited with less than 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the third period with what appeared to be some sort of a lower-body injury. ... Vermette's two-goal performance was his first since Game 2 of last year's Western Conference first-round series against Chicago. ... Duchene and Coyotes D Keith Yandle each registered three assists.
Colorado | Phoenix | |
Matt Duchene 3 | Points | Keith Yandle 3 |
PA Parenteau 1 | Goals | Antoine Vermette 2 |
Matt Duchene 3 | Assists | Keith Yandle 3 |
PA Parenteau 1 | Power Play Goals | Antoine Vermette 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Semyon Varlamov 1.000 | Save Percentage | Mike Smith .857 |
Jean-Sebastien Giguere 27 | Saves | Mike Smith 24 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Colorado | 28 | 5 | 2-4 | 4-6 | 24 | 28 |
Phoenix | 37 | 4 | 2-6 | 2-4 | 10 | 22 |