Cale Makar's OT goal lifts Avalanche over Stars

Cale Makar scored 34 seconds into overtime and the Colorado Avalanche recovered to beat the visiting Dallas Stars 4-3 on Sunday afternoon in Denver.

Valeri Nichushkin and Jonathan Drouin each had a goal and an assist, Martin Necas also scored, Makar had added two assists and Scott Wedgewood made 19 saves for Colorado. The Avalanche extended their point streak to nine games (8-0-1) and moved within two points of the Stars for second place in the Central Division.

Jason Robertson, Mavrik Bourque and Matt Duchene scored and Jake Oettinger made 32 saves for Dallas, which has lost three of four since the March 7 trade deadline (1-2-1).

Makar carried the puck into the Dallas zone before cutting through the slot and shooting the puck past Oettinger.

Dallas had scored two goals 20 seconds apart late in the third period to tie it 3-3.

Wedgewood lost his stick making a series of saves and Bourque took advantage, scoring a rebound to cut the lead to 3-2 at 14:12, and Duchene then scored a rebound to tie it 3-3 at 14:32.

The Stars took a 1-0 lead on their first shot of the game at 4:10 of the first period.

Mikko Rantanen passed the puck out front to Roope Hintz, who quickly fed Robertson cutting through the right circle and he flicked the puck into the net.

Rantanen scored 25 goals for Colorado this season before he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in January and then to the Stars on March 7.

Dallas forward Jamie Benn went to the penalty box for a second time in the first period with a double-minor high sticking penalty on Ryan Lindgren and Colorado scored during the second half of the penalty on a redirection by Necas to tie it 1-1 at 14:09.

Colorado moved ahead 2-1 at 6:24 of the second period.

Toews passed the puck from the bottom of the left circle to Nichushkin above the right circle and he had room to skate closer to the dot before scoring with a wrist shot.

The Avalanche extended their lead to 3-1 at 17:19 of the second on a one-timer from the right circle by Drouin off a feed from Sam Malinsk.

--Field Level Media