Halak contains high-flying Avalanche in Canucks' win

DENVER (AP) — Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller scored 1:52 apart early in the third period, Jaroslav Halak stopped 32 shots and the Vancouver Canucks beat the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Wednesday night.

Boeser got things rolling by taking advantage of a turnover with a goal 1:23 into the final period. Miller knocked in another off a rebound moments later. Bo Horvat added an empty-net goal as the Canucks finished 1-2 against the Avalanche this season.

“It’s the best game I’ve been a part of with this team,” Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau said. “We used the word ‘committed’ before the game and every one of them was committed. To play that team on even terms is a pretty special moment.”

The Avalanche have been the third-period comeback kings this season, but couldn't add to their total of 10. Nazem Kadri's power-play goal made it 2-1 early in the third.

Halak came up big down the stretch to earn his first win since Jan. 31.

“We’re in a playoff push and we need to be playing playoff hockey from now on if we want to make it," Halak said.

Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves in a game filled with plenty of skating and not a lot of whistles. There were long stretches with no breaks.

“It looked like we didn't have the jump we had in the past,” said Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, whose team had its four-game win streak halted.

Miscues played a critical role in Vancouver's third-period goal spurt, especially on the first score.

“Besides that lapse, I think the game was pretty solid for us,” Kadri said. “They’re an opportunistic team.”

Miller added an assist on Horvat's empty-netter with 17.6 seconds remaining. Miller now has 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) over his last 17 games.

“It seems like the harder the challenge, the