GLENDALE, Ariz. - Arizona Coyotes defenseman Nicklas Grossmann told reporters at the start of the season that he valued blocking shots over scoring goals. The 11-year veteran certainly had more experience with the latter before Thursday, having scored just 10 goals in 542 career games.

Grossmann's mindset may be changing, however, after an offensive explosion against the Colorado Avalanche at Gila River Arena.

Grossmann posted the first two-goal game of his career, and center Martin Hanzal notched two assists in his return to the lineup as Arizona snapped a three-game home losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Avs on Thursday.

"It's always fun to contribute offensively, but I always try to take care of the defensive part first," Grossmann said. "It's always fun when something like this happens but it's nothing I'm focusing on."

Hanzal missed the previous two games with a lower-body injury, but he benefited from the team's five-day layoff after its last contest, and his value was apparent upon his return.

"He eats up big minutes for us and is certainly a vital cog in what we're trying to do," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. "His assists are all hard-working assists where he's checking and turning pucks over and playing good defense that leads to opportunities by his wingers. You play that hard and that committed and you're going to get pucks going the other way."

Hanzal moved into a tie for the league lead with several players at 12 assists in just 10 games, but he still hasn't scored a goal this season. Toronto defenseman Jimmy Thompson set the record for most assists in a season (29) without a goal in 1947-48.

"It's all right, I'll take the two points for me and the two points for the team," Hanzal said.

The Coyotes (6-5-1) hadn't won at home since their home opener on Oct. 10 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Colorado (4-8-1) lost for the third time in four games and the seventh time in nine. The Avalanche failed to convert on five power-play opportunities.

"Obviously, when our power play gets all of those chances we need to finish and take control of the game," center Nathan MacKinnon said. "Our power play had a lot of chances tonight to tie the game up."

Goalie Mike Smith made 26 saves for the Coyotes to post the first save percentage above .900 in his past eight games. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov made just 24 saves for Colorado to post his sixth game of sub .900 save percentage in 10 appearances.

Grossmann recorded his first goal of the season to put the Coyotes on top 1-0 at 7:05 of the first period. He sent a seemingly harmless shot toward the net, but with center Tyler Gaudet providing a screen and two Avalanche defenseman also creating traffic, the puck slipped through Varlamov's pads.

"When they scored that goal, the first one, it kind of changed our game," Colorado coach Patrick Roy said. "We didn't keep the same pace that we should have."

Arizona stretched the lead to 2-0 when Coyotes left winger Tobias Rieder beat Varlamov from the far boards with a shot Varlamov should have stopped at 2:41 of the second period. Hanzal started the play by forcing a turnover from Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

Colorado cut the lead to 2-1 a little over a minute later when Avalanche left winger Cody McLeod scored. He cleaned up a rebound after Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson split Coyotes defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Michael Stone to put a shot on Smith.

Grossmann restored the two-goal lead when he was credited with a goal at 5:15 of the period. Avalanche center Ben Street actually knocked the puck into the net after Grossmann took a shot from the point.

Colorado coach Patrick Roy challenged the call, arguing that there was goaltender interference, but the ruling stood.

"I thought he pushed our forward into our goalie," Roy said. "I thought it was a good challenge."

Right winger Matt Duchene pulled Colorado within 3-2 with a brilliant individual effort with 3:46 left in the third period. Duchene got around Hanzal, cut to the net and somehow flipped a puck over Smith's shoulder into the top corner from a very tight angle.

Left winger Jordan Martinook added an empty-net goal for the Coyotes with 14 seconds remaining in the game.

NOTES: Coyotes C Antoine Vermette was out of the lineup again with the same lower-body injury that caused him to miss three games in October. Vermette had tests earlier this week and the team does not believe the injury is serious, calling Vermette day-to-day. C Tyler Gaudet took his spot between RW Mikkel Boedker and LW Max Domi. ... Coyotes RW Joe Vitale (fractured orbital bone) is on injured reserve. ... Avalanche C John Mitchell (oblique) missed the game and listed as day-to-day. ... Colorado C Jesse Winchester (head) is out indefinitely. ... Thursday's game began a stretch in which Colorado will play 12 of its next 15 games on the road. ... Avalanche D Brandon Gormley was in the lineup against the team that drafted him 13th overall in 2010.