DENVER – Tyson Barrie scored 55 seconds into overtime, Semyon Varlamov stopped 29 shots, and the Colorado Avalanche moved a step closer to their first playoff berth in four years with a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
Matt Duchene scored and assisted on the winner, and Gabriel Landeskog added a goal.
Yannick Weber and Zack Kassian scored for the Canucks, whose three-game winning streak was snapped.
On the winning goal, Duchene dribbled the puck into the corner and sent a pass to Barrie, who was standing in front of the net and tipped it past goalie Eddie Lack. The defenseman did a little shuffle dance before his teammates mobbed him.
Daniel Sedin recorded his 800th NHL point with an assist in the first period. His twin brother, Henrik, reached that milestone Oct. 15 at Philadelphia.
Henrik Sedin didn’t make the trip because of a leg injury.
The Avalanche nearly sewed up their first postseason appearance since the 2009-10 season on Thursday, needing a win and a loss by Phoenix to secure a spot. But the Coyotes delayed that by beating the New Jersey Devils 3-2 in a road shootout.
Colorado remains on the heels of the Chicago Blackhawks for second in the Central Division. The Avs trail the Blackhawks by one point.
Struggling just a few weeks ago, the Canucks are making a late playoff push. They earned a valuable point and are now five behind Phoenix, which holds the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.
Landeskog scored in the second period. The captain has scored three times in two games.
The Canucks showed no signs of fatigue despite playing on back-to-back nights. Vancouver kept up with the high-flying Avalanche most of the game.
The Canucks tied it at 18:38 when Kassian stopped a puck headed for the corner with his right skate, quickly corralled it and poked the puck past a sprawled-out Varlamov.
Things got a little testy in the second period. It started early when Patrick Bordeleau and Tom Sestito fought.
Duchene and Ryan Kesler later began shoving each other behind the Vancouver net. On the next shift, Jamie McGinn got into it with Kesler, as well.
When the giant video board showed Kesler sitting on the bench, the Canucks center made a kissing motion at the screen, drawing loud boos from the crowd.
Weber staked Vancouver to a 1-0 lead in the first when he lined a shot past Varlamov for a power-play goal. It was his fifth goal of the season.
Late in the opening period, Duchene tied it by knocking a rebound past Lack, who played for a second straight night.
Avalanche slide
Canucks F David Booth had an assist on Zack Kassian’s goal, giving him four points in three games. ... Avs D Erik Johnson played in his 400th NHL game despite having the flu. ... The Avs were without F John Mitchell (back) for a fourth consecutive game. Colorado coach Patrick Roy wasn’t sure if Mitchell will be ready to play Saturday against San Jose, but believes he will be back in the lineup Tuesday at Columbus.
