National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Colorado 4, Dallas 3
When: 3:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 10, 2015
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Referees: Justin St. Pierre, Gord Dwyer
Linesmen: Mike Cvik, Jay Sharrers
Attendance: 18007

Avalanche 4, Stars 3: Matt Duchene recorded a goal and an assist as host Colorado erased a two-goal deficit to match a season high with its third straight victory.

Defenseman Erik Johnson, John Mitchell and Nathan MacKinnon scored during a three-goal second period as the Avalanche improved to 5-1-0 in their last six and moved one point ahead of Dallas in the Central Division standings. Seymon Varlamov turned aside 37 shots to win his third start in a row - a span in which he has made 127 saves.

Rookie Brett Ritchie and Colton Sceviour tallied in the first period and Ales Hemsky added a third-period goal as the Stars absorbed their fourth straight defeat (0-2-2). Kari Lehtonen stopped 26 shots for Dallas, which failed on six power-play chances.

Colorado stormed back in the second, getting on the board on Johnson's backhander from the right faceoff circle at 7:18 before Mitchell's shot from the left point found its way through traffic 1:25 later for the equalizer. Max Talbot stole a pass just inside the blue line with time winding down and dished the puck to MacKinnon, who stuffed it under Lehtonen with 8.4 seconds to play - a goal upheld following a video review.

The Avalanche doubled the lead 12 seconds into the third as Duchene skated around the net before spinning and ripping a perfect shot from the left circle into the far top corner. Hemsky answered 2:26 later, wristing home a drop pass from Jason Spezza, but the Stars couldn't get the tying tally - hitting the post with about 20 seconds remaining.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Stars scored only 27 seconds into the contest when Ritchie deflected C Tyler Seguin's turnaround shot before taking a 2-0 lead when C Vernon Fiddler set up Sceviour for a backhander in front that beat Varlamov to the blocker side. ... Johnson scored for the eighth time in 13 games to boost his career-high total to 12, tying LW Alex Tanguay and RW Jarome Iginla for the team lead. ... Stars D David Schlemko, a recent waiver acquisition from Arizona, made his debut while LW Erik Cole (illness) sat out.
Top Game Performances
 
Dallas   Colorado
Ales Hemsky 1 Points Matt Duchene 2
Ales Hemsky 1 Goals Matt Duchene 1
Jamie Benn 1 Assists Matt Duchene 1
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Kari Lehtonen .867 Save Percentage Semyon Varlamov .925
Kari Lehtonen 26 Saves Semyon Varlamov 37
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Dallas 40 3 0-6 3-3 6 34
Colorado 30 4 0-3 6-6 12 35
Upcoming Games
  • Colorado will play their next game on the road against Washington. The Avalanche have a W/L % of .389 after a win and .458 after a loss.
  • Dallas will play their next game at home against Ottawa. The Stars have a W/L % of .611 after a win and .304 after a loss.