DENVER -- Semyon Varlamov responded to his benching with one of his best games of the season.

Varlamov returned to the net to make 37 saves, Matt Duchene and Mikhail Grigorenko each had a goal and an assist, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 Monday night.

Shawn Matthias also scored for Colorado, which got a valuable two points against a struggling team.

The Avalanche (34-30-4) pulled even with Minnesota for the second wild card in the Western Conference. Both teams have 72 points, but the Colorado has played one more game than the Wild. The teams meet once more, March 26 in Denver.

Varlamov was in goal after backing up Calvin Pickard for two games. Varlamov struggled in the prior two games, and he was pulled after allowing three goals on 12 first-period shots in a loss to Minnesota on Feb. 29.

"I knew it was really important to start this game strong and make a couple good saves because last game was a tough game for me against Minnesota," Varlamov said. "I've been waiting for this game and working really hard to prepare myself mentally and physically."

The week off was good for goaltender, who made 12 saves in the third period to help the Avalanche close it out.

"He was really good, he looked like a No. 1 tonight," Colorado coach Patrick Roy said. "This is Varly we want to see. It was good for him to rest and be ready for this one. Now he needs to be ready for the next one."

Boyd Gordon scored for the Coyotes, and Louis Domingue stopped 34 shots.

Arizona (28-32-6) is stumbling to the end of the season after an 8-2-4 stretch through mid-January. The Coyotes have lost eight of their past nine games overall and nine road games in a row.

"When you're not getting rewarded for your effort, that's where the little bit of frustration comes in," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said.

Arizona took another hit when defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson left the game holding his right arm at 3:19 of the third period and didn't return. Tippet said Ekman-Larsson is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The teams traded chances in the first period, but the Avalanche got the first goal at 9:17. Francois Beauchemin's shot from the boards went off defenseman Nicklas Grossmann's stick, the puck trickled over Domingue, and Matthias dived to knock it in for his eighth of the season.

Duchene made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 5:40 of the second period. It was his 28th of the season, establishing a career high for the center. He has 27 goals since Nov. 1.

"It's been going in a lot since the end of October," he said.

Grigorenko's fifth goal of the season at 5:37 of the third period gave the Avalanche some breathing room.

"Obviously that was a turning point," Domingue said. "I've got to find a way to make one more stop in the third. That's what a No. 1 goalie does in this league."

Tippett said there should have been a high-sticking call on Jarome Iginla moments before Grigorenko scored.

"It's a blatant high stick, it's not even close," he said. "We should be on the power play for four minutes when it's 2-0, and it ends up 3-0 and no penalty."

Gordon, who was playing his second game after missing 13 with an injury, spoiled the shutout with his first goal of the season at 8:47 to make it 3-1.

Domingue came off for an extra skater, and Arizona then went on the power play with 1:34 left but didn't score.

NOTES: Arizona LW Max Domi returned after serving a one-game suspension for instigating a fight in the final five minutes against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. ... Avalanche D Eric Gelinas returned to the lineup after missing two games with a back issue. ... Arizona LW Alex Tanguay said he is not upset about being traded by Colorado last week. "They saw a better opportunity and wanted to make the move, which was fine," he said. "It's their team and I respect the decision. I'm not bitter, no hard feelings." ... Avalanche D Zach Redmond was in the lineup for the first time since Feb. 4. ... Coyotes C Kyle Chipchura went home to be with his wife, who is due to give birth.