Denver: Patrick Marleau scored four goals in the third period as the San Jose Sharks beat the last-placed Colorado Avalanche 5-2 on Monday night for their fifth straight win.
Marleau scored in a variety of ways to break open a game tied at 1 heading into the third: He tipped a shot in off the post, scored on a wraparound, lined in a wrist shot and finally lifted a backhander over rookie goaltender Spencer Martin.
Brent Burns had a goal and two assists for the Sharks while Jarome Iginla and Andreas Martinsen scored for Colorado.
Matt Duchene, the team’s leading goalscorer, was a late scratching due to an illness and left the Avalanche with only 19 players. Duchene’s absence raised some eyebrows since the talented forward has been the subject of recent trade rumours.
Defenseman Dmitry Orlov scored twice as Washington kept the offense rolling to beat Carolina 6-1 and extend their point streak to 14 games.
Orlov doubled his goal output for the season and Justin Williams, Evgeny Kuznetsov, T.J. Oshie and Lars Eller also scored for the Capitals, who have won three in a row and haven’t lost in regulation since Dec. 27. Washington scored on six of its 25 shots on Cam Ward and handed Carolina its fourth consecutive loss.
Braden Holtby made 25 saves for his 23rd victory of the season. The only goal he allowed came from Jordan Staal on the power play in the first period.
