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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Anaheim Ducks advances the puck against Devon Toews #7 of the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Colorado Avalanche left wing Andre Burakovsky, left, pursues the puck with Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen pursues the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Larsson, left, pursues the puck with Colorado Avalanche left wing Kiefer Sherwood in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson looks to stop a shot by the Colorado Avalanche in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Brandon Saad #20 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates with Dan Renouf #2, Tyson Jost #17 and Joonas Donskoi #72 after scoring against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Adam Henrique #14 of the Anaheim Ducks scores against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Adam Henrique #14 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates with Cam Fowler #4 and Max Jones #49 after scoring against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Colorado Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer grabs his water bottle during a timeout in the second period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Colorado Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer looks to stop a shot by the Anaheim Ducks in the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks left wing Max Jones, left, fights for position in front of the net with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews in the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg, center, celebrates after scoring a goal with center Sam Steel, left, and defenseman Ben Hutton in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Colorado Avalanche center Tyson Jost, back left, reaches out to control the puck as Anaheim Ducks center Adam Henrique defends in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Valeri Nichushkin #13 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates scoring against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin, front, is congratulated as he passes the team box after scoring a goal against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks center Isac Lundestrom, left, battles with Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen , center, as he redirects the puck toward Anaheim goaltender John Gibson who stops the shot in the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jani Hakanpaa, left, becomes entangled with Colorado Avalanche right wing Joonas Donskoi in the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins, top, looks on in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin, left, fights for control of the puck with Anaheim Ducks defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk in the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Colorado Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer makes a stop during the third period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler (4) drives to the net with the puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews pursues during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf, front, checks Colorado Avalanche right wing Logan O’Connor during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Kiefer Sherwood #44 of the Colorado Avalanche fights for the puck with Jani Hakanpaa #28 of the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Cam Fowler #4 of the Anaheim Ducks brings the puck off the boards against the Colorado Avalanche in the second period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Anaheim Ducks center Sam Steel, center, clears the puck to defenseman Ben Hutton, front, as Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog watches during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Samuel Girard #49 of the Colorado Avalanche brings the puck off the boards against the Anaheim Ducks in the first period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson, left, makes a glove save against Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche fights for the puck with Max Comtois #53 the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: John Gibson #36 of the Anaheim Ducks tends goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the second period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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DENVER, COLORADO – MARCH 05: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Anaheim Ducks looks for an opening against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at Ball Arena on March 05, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson, left, makes a glove save in front of Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin, front, reacts after putting in the winning goal past Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson in overtime of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Ducks goaltender John Gibson looks into the net to see the puck that was shot by Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin for the winning goal in overtime of Friday night’s game in Denver. Colorado won, 3-2. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson, left, follows defenseman Josh Mahura off the ice after allowing in the winning goal in overtime of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Friday, March 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Ducks built a lead, then lost it, then regained their form after a few desperate moments.
So, what else is new?
No question, the Ducks were the better team for limited stretches, but stitching them together, from start to finish continued to be a chore. The Colorado Avalanche played a role in disrupting the Ducks’ play, to be sure, and they found themselves in another tight game.
In the end, the Ducks couldn’t stop a hard-charging Valeri Nichushkin, who scored the game-winner 2:45 into overtime and they suffered a 3-2 loss to the Avalanche on Friday night in Denver. The Ducks earned a point, but they haven’t won a game since Feb. 11.
It wasn’t as if the Ducks found a way to lose while falling to 0-6-3 in their last nine.
It was more like the Avalanche found a way to win.
Nichushkin jump-started Colorado’s rally from a two-goal deficit with a second-period goal.
“Another one where we’re right there, but at the end of the day, we get one point, but it’s two points that we want and we desperately need,” said Jakob Silfverberg, who had given the Ducks a 2-0 lead early in the second period. “Obviously, not satisfied with one.”
Ducks coach Dallas Eakins welcomed Josh Manson back to the lineup after a 20-game layoff because of an oblique injury suffered on Jan. 18 against the Minnesota Wild. Eakins tweaked his lineup to accommodate Manson, playing seven defensemen and 11 forwards instead of the usual six and 12.
Manson’s return to the ice more or less coincided with the news Thursday that Hampus Lindholm would be sidelined for six weeks because of a fractured wrist suffered during a Feb. 27 game against the Golden Knights. Lindholm could be out until mid-April.
“I thought he played excellent,” Eakins said of Manson. “He played a physical, solid game.”
Said Manson, referring to Denver’s mile-high altitude, “It felt like I was breathing through a straw.”
The Ducks got no sympathy from the Avalanche, who were without defensemen Bowen Byram, and Cale Makar and forward Nathan MacKinnon because of injuries. MacKinnon was checked in the head Wednesday by San Jose’s Joachim Blichfeld, who was suspended two games by the NHL.
Judging by the opening minutes, the Avalanche hardly missed them. The Avalanche had a number of early scoring chances, but Ducks goaltender John Gibson turned them away long enough for his teammates to get their feet moving in the right direction.
The Ducks took a 1-0 lead with 10 seconds remaining in the first period, when Rickard Rakell slipped a pass from behind the net out front to Adam Henrique in the slot. Henrique fired the puck into the net. Rakell got the lone assist to extend his scoring streak to four games.
Silfverberg extended the Ducks’ lead to 2-0 only 2:22 into the second period, sending a laser past Colorado goalie Philipp Grubauer and into the upper reaches of the net. Silfverberg collected a loose puck along the boards in his own zone and raced down the right wing to score.
The two-goal lead would not last the period, though. Nichushkin scored moments after a Colorado power play expired at 14:46 of the second period and then the Avalanche’s Brandon Saad scored from close range to tie it 2-2 at 17:23.
“We’ve got to search for that half stride, that half stride difference between winning the game and losing the game,” Manson said. “Because it’s out there somewhere and we’ve just got to find it, to get on the right side of these games. It seems like too many times we come up just short.
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