Avalanche 4, Ducks 2: Matt Duchene scored midway into the third period to snap a tie as visiting Colorado kept alive its faint postseason aspirations.

Duchene joined Dennis Everberg with a goal and an assist while captain Gabriel Landeskog converted a power-play chance for his 13th tally in 24 games. John Mitchell also scored, defenseman Tyson Barrie notched two assists and Reto Berra finished with 35 saves for the Avalanche, who moved within six points of idle Los Angeles with four games to play in the race for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Jiri Sekac collected a goal and an assist while Rickard Rakell also tallied for Pacific Division-champion Anaheim, which saw its four-game winning streak come to a halt and its lead over the New York Rangers in the Presidents' Trophy race remain at two points. John Gibson turned aside 19 shots in the loss.

Anaheim's Corey Perry had his shot blocked and Duchene chased down the loose puck and fended off Ducks defenseman Sami Vatanen before beating Gibson between the pads at 9:08 of the third period to give Colorado a 3-2 lead. Everberg sealed the win by scoring into the empty net with 1:24 remaining in the contest.

Jarome Iginla set up Mitchell's one-timer 6:33 into the contest, but Sekac answered 58 seconds later by jumping on a loose puck in the neutral zone and breezing past Marc-Andre Cliche before beating Berra with a backhand shot. Rakell pounced on the rebound of Perry's stuff attempt and lifted a shot past Berra with 2:02 left in the session to give Anaheim its first lead, but Landeskog scored from the slot with 3:08 remaining in the second.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Barrie increased his point total to 51, joining Sandis Ozolinsh, Rob Blake and Ray Bourque as the only Avalanche defensemen to reach 50 in a season. ... Anaheim C Ryan Kesler logged 21:46 of ice time in his return to the lineup after sitting out Wednesday's tilt due to a minor arm injury. ... Ducks RW Stefan Noesen blocked one shot while making his NHL debut. The 21st overall pick of the 2011 draft, Noesen was recalled from Norfolk of the American Hockey League prior to the contest.