DENVER — Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns each had a goal and three assists, Martin Jones made 31 saves and the San Jose Sharks held off the slumping Colorado Avalanche 5-4 on Wednesday night.
Evander Kane, Joonas Donskoi and Lukas Radil also scored for the Sharks, who extended Colorado’s recent slide after a 9-0-2 stretch lifted the Avalanche into first place in the Central Division in early December.
Tyson Jost had two goals and Matt Calvert and Tyson Barrie both scored for Colorado, which is 3-8-3 since Dec. 4. The Avalanche have dropped six in a row, two in overtime.
But the Sharks didn’t need extra time to win their third in four games.
San Jose led 2-1 after the first period on power-play goals by Pavelski and Burns.
Burns’ goal on a 5-on-3 advantage gave the Sharks a lead they quickly expanded in the second.
Kane scored his 12th of the season 4:15 into the period when he stole the puck from Barrie and beat goalie Philipp Grubauer high. Donskoi made it 4-1 when he stuffed the puck inside the post on a wraparound 2:15 after Kane’s goal.
Pavel Francouz took over for Grubauer, who finished with 10 saves. Francouz made 12.
Radil scored on Francouz to make it 5-1 at 16:33 of the second. Jost answered 16 seconds later to get Colorado back within three. Barrie made it a two-goal game with his fifth at 12:12 of the third, and Jost’s redirect at 16:36 got the Avalanche within a goal.
Colorado pulled Francouz for an extra skater at 18:16 but couldn’t get one past Jones.
NOTES: Avalanche G Semyon Varlamov was out with a lower-body injury. … Barrie’s goal was the 275th point of his career, tying John-Michael Liles for most by an Avalanche defenceman. … San Jose D Justin Braun played just one shift after the first period due to an undisclosed injury. … The Sharks had three players selected All-Stars earlier in the day: Pavelski, Burns and defenceman Erik Karlsson. Colorado RW Mikko Rantanen also was honoured. … Kane has three goals in his last three games against Grubauer.
UP NEXT
Sharks: Home against Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Avalanche: Host the New York Rangers on Friday night.
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Michael Kelly, The Associated Press