In a game it had to win to keep its dwindling playoff hopes alive Friday night, the Avalanche blew a 2-0 lead against a tired team and lost 5-3 to the Anaheim Ducks at the Pepsi Center.
Ducks forward Corey Perry scored broke a 3-3 tie with a power-play goal with 57 seconds left and Anaheim added an empty-netter in the closing seconds. The Avalanche (30-29-12, 72 points) remain five points behind Arizona for the last Western Conference playoff spot, with just 11 games remaining.
Anaheim was playing on consecutive nights, and the third time in four days.