DENVER — Joel Ward’s goal late in the third period gave the Sharks hope — and ultimately one point in the standings — but shootout goals by Nathan MacKinnon and Matt Duchene gave the Colorado Avalanche a 4-3 victory Wednesday night.
Trailing 3-2 with just more than two minutes remaining in regulation, Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer pulled goalie Martin Jones for an extra skater, and the strategy paid off when Ward tipped in the tying goal with 1:31 left.
Goalie Calvin Pickard came up big for the Avalanche in the shootout, stopping shots by Joonas Donskoi and Joe Pavelski.