Barrie helps Avs down Sharks to even series

Tyson Barrie netted one goal and two assists, while Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog both collected one goal and one assist as the visiting Colorado Avalanche evened their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series with a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves to backstop his team to a victory that left the best-of-seven series tied at one win apiece. Game 3 will be in Denver on Tuesday.

With his team trailing 1-0 after the first period, Landeskog pulled the Avalanche even with a nifty deflection at 8:21 of the second frame. Shortly after his team killed a penalty, Barrie used his great skating ability to elude a check before sending a point shot that Landeskog deflected from the doorstep. Then it was Barrie's turn to light the lamp with his first NHL playoff goal and put his team ahead for good. Sharks goalie Martin Jones stopped a point shot, but the rebound caromed all the way to Barrie at the right circle, and he just got enough with his one-timer into the top corner to put the Avs ahead 2-1 at 16:31 of the second period.

That set the stage for a thrilling third period. Former Shark Matt Nieto scored for the Avalanche to make it 3-1 just past the midway point of the final period, pushing the puck over the line as Brenden Dillon thought he'd pulled it from harm's way off the goal line behind Jones. It was Nieto's third goal of the playoffs, But Brent Burns pulled the Sharks within one with 4:34 left in regulation, sending a shot that ricocheted off Barrie's stick and into the Colorado goal. The tally came moments after Burns' point shot hit Alexander Kerfoot's skate, knocking the blade off and leaving the Avalanche temporarily with only four able skaters.

MacKinnon's empty netter with 62 seconds on the clock made it a 4-2 game and eventually became the game winner because Burns scored with 10 seconds remaining to round out the scoring and cap a three-point game. MacKinnon and Rantanen have each collected at least one point in six straight playoff games. Evander Kane also scored for the Sharks, who received a 28-save performance from Jones.