DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche didnt need a shootout to get off to their best start in franchise history.
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When they faced one, they were once again successful.
Ryan OReilly scored the only goal in the shootout, Semyon Varlamov
stopped 35 shots and the Avalanche beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on
Saturday night.
Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon had a goal apiece to help the
Avalanche sweep the home-and-home series with the Wild.
"It was a good couple games against Minny, they obviously play a pretty
tough game," MacKinnon said. "Down low, theyre tough to defend. Its
always nice to get on the board a little bit, but obviously getting two
wins is huge for us."
Colorado and the New York Rangers were the only teams to yet have a game
decided in a shootout before Saturday. Despite their lack of
experience, the Avalanche came out on top.
"(I was) nervous, same as usually," Varlamov said. "Nobody, none of the
goalies, nobody likes the shootouts."
John Mitchell added two assists for Colorado, which won a rare
penalty-free game.
"I was a little bit

considering how much time was spent in
the offensive zone," Minnesota coach Mike Yeo said regarding the lack of
penalty calls.
Mikko Koivu and Matt Cooke scored goals and Josh Harding stopped 23
shots for the Wild.
Minnesota has dominated the Avalanche in Colorado since the 2007-08
season. The Wild came into Saturday with a 12-2-2 record since midway
through that season, and they had won six of their past seven at Pepsi
Center.
The Avalanche looked as if they would win comfortably despite Minnesota
carrying the play when Cooke spoiled the shutout bid with 3:27 left to
make it 2-1.
"I think we had five or six grade-A chances in the first period alone
and sometimes thats frustrating," Cooke said. "But its up to us to just
try to keep each other positive and the fact that were getting those
scoring opportunities is a good thing. We just need to stay on it."
Harding came off for an extra skater in the final minute, and Koivu beat
Varlamov on a slap shot with six seconds left to send the game into
overtime.
"Nobody wants to give up a goal with 4 seconds left," Varlamov said.
"The third period we sat back the last 10 minutes and they started to
get more chances around the net and that is why we gave up two goals. It
is what it is. We were able to get two points."
Neither team could score in the extra period, sending the Avalanche to
their first shootout of the season.
Despite never having competed in an NHL shootout -- or coaching in one
-- coach Patrick Roy didnt hesitate in picking his shooters. He chose
the only players to score in one in the teams last practice.
"It made it kind of easy," Roy said.
Harding made saves on P.A. Parenteau and MacKinnon before OReilly broke
through. Jason Pominville couldnt match the goal and Minnesota lost for
the second straight night.
"I just tried to open up my blade and try to look like I was going to
shoot it and kind of put it through," OReilly said.
For Minnesota, getting a point after trailing late was some consolation.
"Thats a huge point for us. It was great the way we played the game,"
Yeo said. "We lost the skill competition at the end of the game, the
shootout, whatever you want to call it. Bottom line I really believe we
deserved the win in regulation."
Coming off a tough loss to Colorado in St. Paul on Friday night,
Minnesota was looking to get even but Saturdays game started like
Fridays ended.
Landeskog, who sealed Fridays 3-1 win with an empty-net goal, gave the
Avalanche the early lead when his backhand from the side of the net
deflected off Harding and into the goal 2:22 into the game. It was his
ninth goal of the season.
The Wild nearly tied it later in the first when Cookes backhand slipped
under Varlamov and lay on the goal line for a moment and the goalie
covered it up. It was reviewed and determined the puck never completely
crossed the line.
Minnesota had another great chance in the second period when Torrey
Mitchell got ahead of the defence, took a pass from Cooke and had a
breakaway on Varlamov. The goalie stopped the backhander to preserve the
one-goal lead.
"Some nights you get a hot goalie and we surely did that tonight," Koivu
said.
Colorado added to the lead later in the second when Marco Scandella
turned it over in his own end. Mitchell got the puck to a wide-open
MacKinnon, and the rookie beat Harding with a wrister at 12:56 of the
period.
It was his fifth goal of the season.
NOTES: It was the second time in the Colorado/Quebec franchise history
that the team played a penalty-free game. The other happened April 9,
2000, against Detroit. ... Mitchell reached 100 career points with his
two assists. ... Wild LW Zach Parise played in his second straight game
after missing one with a foot contusion. ... Avalanche C Paul Stastny
returned after missing two games due to back spasms.
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Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points,
and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win
over the Miami Heat on Friday night.
Canadas Andrew Wiggins had 19 points in his March Madness debut as
Kansas defeated Eastern Kentucky 80-69 on Friday. Gonzaga and Canadian
Kevin Pangos defeated Oklahoma State 85-77.
Watch coverage of March Madness live NOW on TSN and on TSN2. TSN GO also
offers TSN subscribers bonus online coveraage, with live streams of all
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The final game of the evening is still ongoing in San Diego as No. 4
UCLA takes on No. 13 Tulsa.
Coverage resumes on Saturday at 1pm et with third round games available
on TSN2 and TSN GO. Coverage on TSN resumes at 6:30pm et.
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