DENVER (AP) — In the clear, Mikko Rantanen angled his stick back as he waited for the cross-ice pass to arrive. Once it did, he dropped to his left knee to give a little extra.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jack Eichel will abide by the NHL's decision to suspend him two games for an illegal check to Colorado forward Carl Soderberg's head.

NEW YORK (AP) — Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL on Sunday for an illegal check to the head of Colorado Avalanche forward Carl...

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The slumping Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Alexander Nylander from the minors.

Nylander is Buffalo's first-round pick in the 2016 draft and has a career-high 12...

DENVER (AP) — The low-key Carl Soderberg was thinking one overriding thought on his shootout attempt.

"A great opportunity to get the game done," he said.

CHICAGO (AP) — Skating in his home state, J.T. Compher helped keep the Colorado Avalanche rolling.

Compher scored his second goal of the game on a breakaway to snap a tie with 5:22 left in...

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche broke up their top line and broke out of their funk.

Just the sort of breakthrough they needed to salvage their season.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — James van Riemsdyk recorded a hat trick, and Nolan Patrick had two goals and two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.

Wayne Simmonds also had two goals for the Flyers. Carter Hart had 34 saves.

It was just the second win in the last 11 games for Philadelphia, which began Monday with the fewest points in the league.

Jason Zucker, Marcus Foligno, Joel Eriksson Ek and Ryan Suter scored for Minnesota.

TORONTO (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche caught the Toronto Maple Leafs in a lull and took full advantage.

Carl Soderberg had his first career hat trick and the Avalanche defeated the Maple Leafs 6-3 on Monday night.

Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and Matt Calvert also scored for Colorado, which had lost nine of its last 10 games overall (1-7-2), and seven straight in regulation on the road.

Semyon Varlamov stopped 17 shots for the Avalanche.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — All that Winnipeg firepower was on full display Tuesday night.

Blake Wheeler had a goal and three assists as the Jets scored on 33 percent of their shots in a 7-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

Mathieu Perreault, Kyle Connor, Bryan Little, Andrew Copp, Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba also scored for Winnipeg, which converted three of four power-play opportunities. Trouba, Scheifele and Tyler Myers each had two assists.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche are making strides on the road.

Carl Soderberg scored twice, J.T. Compher broke a third-period tie and Colorado beat the Florida Panthers 5-2 on Thursday night.

The Avalanche won their 11th road game after winning only 15 all of last season.

DENVER (AP) — When they were teammates, Nicklas Backstrom always had a tough time against Philipp Grubauer in practice.

The Washington Capitals veteran had better luck when they met as opponents Friday night.

Backstrom was left uncovered on a 4-on-3 power play and scored 22 seconds into overtime to lift the Capitals over the Colorado Avalanche 3-2.

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche broke out of their slump by beating a team struggling just as much as them.

Semyon Varlamov stopped 26 shots to help the Avalanche beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-1 Sunday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

Mikko Rantanen, Carl Soderberg and Tyson Barrie each had a goal and an assist, and Alexander Kerfoot also scored for the Avalanche.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The NHL has suspended Nashville Predators forward Ryan Hartman for Game 5 against the Colorado Avalanche for an illegal check to the head of Carl Soderberg.

The league's Department of Player Safety issued the suspension Thursday after a hearing.

DENVER (AP) — Gabriel Landeskog beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a nifty move in the shootout, and the Colorado Avalanche kept expansion Vegas from clinching a playoff spot by beating the Golden Knights 2-1 on Saturday.

Semyon Varlamov stopped all three Vegas attempts in the shootout. He finished with 39 saves, including seven in overtime.

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon dropped the gloves to stick up for a teammate who took a big check.

Admirable, his coach said. Understandable, too.

"But I would advise him not to be doing that the rest of the year," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said of the team's top scorer. "He's such a big part of our club that there's too much at risk there."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Seth Jones was in the right place to sweep in a beautiful feed from Pierre-Luc Dubois 59 seconds into overtime to win a game the Columbus Blue Jackets nearly let slip away in the third period.

DENVER (AP) — Semyon Varlamov rescued Colorado's struggling offense with a stellar performance against Montreal.

Varlamov made 43 saves for his first victory in more than a month and the Avalanche matched the franchise record of 10 straight home wins, beating the Canadiens 2-0 on Wednesday night.

Carl Soderberg and Alexander Kerfoot scored to help Colorado equal the longest home winning streak in franchise history, set in 1994-95 when the team was the Quebec Nordiques.

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche looked unstoppable early and shaky down the stretch in nearly blowing a big lead.

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche are playing with a swagger they didn't have while struggling last season.

Carl Soderberg had two power-play goals, Nathan MacKinnon also scored with the man-advantage and added two assists, and the Avalanche beat the Minnesota Wild 7-2 Saturday night.

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche have relied on their stars to carry the offense, but it was the supporting cast that got things rolling on New Year's Eve.

Gabriel Landeskog scored twice in less than two minutes in the second period, and Colorado routed the New York Islanders 6-1 on Sunday night.

Carl Soderberg and Erik Johnson had a goal and an assist each, and Matt Nieto and Patrik Nemeth also scored for Colorado, which blew open the game with four goals in the second.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Their top scorer out after a brawl and game misconduct, the Colorado Avalanche responded with a flurry of second-period goals Saturday night.

Carl Soderberg scored twice, the first to start a four-goal burst in the second, and the Avalanche routed the Coyotes 6-2.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche came from behind and never looked back.

Nathan MacKinnon and Alexander Kerfoot scored 41 seconds apart in the second period and Colorado beat the Florida Panthers 7-3 on Saturday night to snap a four-game skid.

Colin Wilson, Erik Johnson and Mikko Rantanen also had goals for the Avalanche. Matt Nieto and Carl Soderberg both scored into an empty net late in the third, and Semyon Varlamov stopped 39 shots.

DETROIT (AP) — Jared Bednar thought his Colorado Avalanche got what they deserved Sunday night.

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill didn't disagree.

Nathan MacKinnon scored 2:55 into overtime and Colorado overcame a late two-goal deficit to beat Detroit 4-3.

Niklas Kronwall put Detroit ahead 3-1 with 8:53 left in the third period, but Nail Yakupov made it 3-2 on a power play with 6:15 remaining before Carl Soderberg tied it with Colorado's goalie pulled in the final minute.

DENVER (AP) — Matt Duchene raised his arms and exhaled as he circled around the net following his first goal since Feb. 19.

What he calls the "worst slump" of his life is finally over.

Duchene scored for the first time in 12 games and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 on Wednesday night.

"I think you could tell by my reaction how relieved I was," Duchene said. "I don't know if I've ever scored a goal that felt better than that one."

DENVER (AP) — For one day at least, Jarome Iginla and the Colorado Avalanche were all smiles at home.

Iginla had a goal and an assist, and the reeling Avalanche beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 on Saturday.

Matt Nieto scored twice and Matt Duchene added three assists, helping Colorado stop a nine-game losing streak. Nathan MacKinnon and Carl Soderberg also scored, and Calvin Pickard had 23 saves.

BOSTON (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche jumped ahead early and got yet another win in Boston — this time to end a recent skid.

Matt Duchene scored his 10th goal and John Mitchell got his first, lifting the Avalanche over the Boston Bruins 4-2 on Thursday night.

The Avs had lost four straight and five of six, but again came out winners in Boston, where they've won 10 times in their last 11 visits.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Matt Duchene broke out of an offensive slump and Semyon Varlamov was strong again as the Colorado Avalanche are putting together a solid road trip.

Duchene had two goals and an assist, Varlamov made 27 saves for his 21st career shutout and the Avalanche beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 on Thursday night.

"He's a big horse for us," Avalanche right wing Jarome Iginla said of Duchene. "He's been good the first few games, but tonight he took it to a new level."

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Matt Duchene had two goals and an assist, Semyon Varlamov made 27 saves for his 21st career shutout and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 on Thursday night.

Andreas Martinsen and Carl Soderberg scored for the Avalanche, who are 2-1 on a four-game trip. Colorado beat Pittsburgh in overtime and lost to Washington earlier on the trip.

DENVER (AP) — Joe Colborne couldn't have drawn it up any better — three goals in his first game with the Colorado Avalanche.

Same with coach Jared Bednar — a gut-check win in his debut on the bench.

It was a memorable night for the new guys.

Colborne had his first NHL hat trick, Colorado withstood a 6-on-4 opportunity over final 46 seconds and the Avalanche held off the Dallas Stars 6-5 on Saturday.