Carolina scores 2 late goals, rallies past Avalanche 3-1

DENVER (AP) — Andrei Svechnikov and Jacob Slavin scored goals 1:17 apart and the Carolina Hurricanes rallied for a 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.

Sebastian Aho also scored, and James Reimer had 27 saves as Carolina extended its points streak to seven games and finished its road trip 4-0-1.

Nathan MacKinnon scored and Philipp Grubauer stopped 37 shots for the Avalanche, who lost despite leading with less than three minutes remaining.

MacKinnon broke a scoreless tie with his 22nd goal at 4:05 of the third period, and it looked as if it would hold up. Svechnikov tied it with his 15th at 17:04 on a scramble in front of the net.

Slavin put the Hurricanes ahead with a wrist shot from the right circle at 18:21, his fourth goal of the season. Aho added an empty-net goal at 19:54.

Each team had quality scoring chances through the first two periods, but couldn’t cash in. The Avalanche came up empty on five power-play chances, including 21 seconds of a 5-on-3 in the second period. Carolina was 0-for-2 on the man advantage through the first 40 minutes.

Colorado got its sixth power-play opportunity when Hurricanes center Brian Gibbons drew a high-sticking minor 2:44 into the third. The Hurricanes finally cashed when MacKinnon beat Reimer with a shot from the top of the slot. It was MacKinnon’s fourth goal in six games.

Gabriel Landeskog, who had an assist on MacKinnon’s goal, had a great chance later in the period but Reimer made the save.

Colorado lost in regulation for just the second time in three weeks.

NOTES: Colorado D Cale Makar (upper-body injury) missed his sixth straight game but could return Saturday against the Blackhawks. … Aho has 18 goals since Nov. 1, which is the most in the NHL in that span. … Avalanche D Erik Johnson returned to the lineup after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury.

UP NEXT:

Carolina: Hosts Florida Saturday night.

Colorado: Hosts Chicago on Saturday night.

___

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports