Denver, CO (Sports Network) – Greg Mauldin posted four points — two goals and two assists — as the Colorado Avalanche used a second period scoring spurt to defeat Minnesota, 7-4, at Pepsi Center.
Matt Duchene, Milan Hejduk, Paul Stastny and David Jones all tallied for Colorado, which broke a two-game losing streak after winning its previous four. Kevin Shattenkirk posted a goal and two assists to extend his point streak to six games — the longest of any NHL rookie defenseman this year.
“Tonight was a lot of fun,” Shattenkirk said. “Especially when we get goals in bunches. I’m really happy that Greg (Mauldin) got those four points.”
Peter Budaj had 28 saves between the pipes for the Avalanche.
Kyle Brodziak led the way with two goals for the Wild, who have dropped three of their last four. Matt Cullen and Antti Miettinen each scored a goal in the loss. Niklas Backstrom stopped 31 of the 38 shots he faced in the loss.
The Avs ripped off four straight goals during a near seven-minute span in the second period, which was started with a Mauldin goal set up by Stastny 2:45 into the period.
Hejduk then lit the lamp at a tail end of a Nick Schultz interference penalty.
Colorado took a 4-2 lead off a funny bounce from the back wall, and Mauldin was there slip it into the open net.
The scoring barrage was capped by a Shattenkirk unassisted goal 9:29 into the second period.
“We sure weren’t great tonight,” Brodziak said. “The second period we were just not ready for their team speed and we just did not counter.”
The Wild were able to get back on the scoreboard with 5:38 left to play in the period when Brodziak slapped it past Budaj, making the score 5-3.
The Avs kept attacking and scored five minutes into the final period when Jones banked in a pass from Mauldin. They then added another goal a little over a minute later after Duchene scored on a breakaway created on a turnover at mid-ice.
Brodziak scored a late goal to make it 7-4 when Martin Havlat worked the puck down the right side and centered it deep in the zone. Brodziak was then able to finish for his second goal of the night.
The Avs got on the board 1:01 into the first on a Stastny goal set up by Hejduk and Shattenkirk.
Miettinen tied the game at one with 5:41 left to play, and then the Wild took their first and only lead with 21 seconds left in the first on a Cullen tally. The goal was set up after Mikko Koivu won an offensive zone faceoff that was dropped to Cullen, whose slap shot went top shelf.
Backstrom was pulled after the first goal in the third period. Jose Theodore came in and only faced two shots, saving them both…The Avs scored a season high-seven goals, while it was the most Minnesota gave up this season…It was Mauldin’s first career multi-goal game.