Colorado players celebrate with defenseman Cale Makar after his power-play goal in overtime Wednesday night gave the Avalanche a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins. David Zalubowski/Associated Press
DENVER — Gabriel Landeskog tied the game with 36.5 seconds left in regulation and Cale Makar scored a power-play goal 3:01 into overtime as the Colorado Avalanche rallied past the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Wednesday night for their 17th straight home victory.
With Mike Reilly serving a tripping penalty, Makar took a feed from Nazem Kadri and sent a shot past Linus Ullmark to give the Avalanche their eighth consecutive win overall.
Colorado, which overcame the loss of star Nathan MacKinnon to a bloody injury in the first period, broke a tie with the 1975-76 Bruins for the fifth-longest home winning streak in NHL history. The record is 23, set by Detroit during the 2011-12 season.
The Avalanche last lost at home on Nov. 3, to Columbus 5-4 in overtime.
Kurtis MacDermid and Samuel Girard also scored for Colorado. Kadri had three assists and Darcy Kuemper made 29 saves.
The Avalanche trailed 3-1 before Girard scored with 8:14 left in the third period. Colorado Coach Jared Bednar pulled Kuemper for an extra skater with just more than two minutes left, and Kadri sent a nifty cross-ice pass to Landeskog, whose wrist shot beat Ullmark.
Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand scored just over a minute apart in the second to put Boston up 3-1. Jake DeBrusk also scored, Charlie McAvoy had two assists and Ullmark stopped 35 shots.
The opener of Boston’s three-game trip started with a big hit and plenty of blood. Taylor Hall’s open-ice shoulder shot on MacKinnon caused MacKinnon’s own stick to snap back into his face. Blood gushed from his nose to the ice as MacKinnon lay face down.
MacKinnon, a five-time All-Star, was able to skate off on his own but didn’t return. Hall was originally given a five-minute major that was reduced to two minutes after a video review.
RASK SITS
Tuukka Rask, who has allowed 14 goals in four games since rejoining the Bruins after July hip surgery, was the backup goaltender. Boston Coach Bruce Cassidy preached patience.
“Anybody coming back at any level, it’s going to take a little bit of time,” Cassidy said. “We’re not at the point yet where we’re going to blow everything up.”
NOTES: Colorado is 23-0-2 when scoring first. … Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (upper-body injury) went through the morning skate but missed his second straight game. That left Urho Vaakanainen with McAvoy as Boston’s top defensive pairing. … Bruins forward Nick Foligno (upper body) didn’t make the trip, but forward Anton Blidh returned after a two-game absence. … Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo, who grew up an hour away in Colorado Springs, stayed at his offseason Denver home Tuesday night. “My parents came up and my fiancee and baby are here,” Carlo said.
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