CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Imagine if the Colorado Avalanche played more than 20 minutes a game.
Steve Konowalchuk scored the equalizer with 8:44 left in regulation and the game-winner with six seconds remaining in overtime as the Avalanche continued their amazing come-from-behind ways in a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
In their last four games (3-0-1), the Avalanche have outscored opponents 10-0 in the third period, erasing deficits each time. They came back from two goals down in this one, scoring twice in the final 11:06 of regulation.
"All I know is the game is 60 minutes and we need to play 60 minutes instead of 20," superstar center Peter Forsberg said. "But in the third period, we have played with a lot of emotion."
Alex Tanguay scored a power-play goal 8:54 into the third to get Colorado within 3-2. Just 2:22 later, Konowalchuk redirected Karlis Skrastins' slap shot from the left boards past rookie Michael Leighton.
That sent the game to overtime, where Konowalchuk scored again off a redirection, this time tipping Martin Skoula's wrist shot over Leighton's left shoulder with his back to the net.
Konowalchuk, who is in his first season with the Avalanche, didn't even know who took the shot. He thought it might have been Joe Sakic.
"But it was a good shot that was threaded through two people's legs, and a lot of people can't even make that play," said Konowalchuk, who raised his season goal total to five. "And then I just got a piece of it and put it in."
Konowalchuk has stood out over the last five games. He fought New Jersey captain Scott Stevens, got kicked out of a game against the New York Rangers, scored twice in a tie with Minnesota and set up Sakic in a comeback win against Phoenix.
"I just think I'm getting rewarded from the other guys' good play," he said. "I just try to get the puck out to the point and go to the net and just throw a screen or whatever."
The Blackhawks scored three times in a 10:15 span of the second period to grab a surprising 3-1 lead 3:12 before intermission. Although they blew the lead, they looked much better than they did in a 5-0 loss at Colorado on October 10.
"They're a good team and they're playing much better," Konowalchuk said. "Tonight, they may have gotten off to a slow start, but after that they played great hockey, and tonight it wasn't easy to win. I think maybe we got lucky to win."
Tyler Arnason, defenseman Nathan Dempsey and Steve Poapst scored for the Blackhawks, who had their winning streak snapped at three games. They said it could have been different if not for a missed call.
With the game tied in the third period, Poapst was roughed up by Forsberg, but nothing was called, leaving Blackhawks coach Brian Sutter seething.
"Well, we got a point, but there shouldn't have been an overtime," Sutter said. "Steve Poapst got hauled down."
Colorado held a 9-3 advantage in shots during the first period, then opened the scoring on Hejduk's power-play goal 3:54 into the second. But the Blackhawks took over.
Arnason tied it at 6:33 with a backhander from the low slot, Dempsey one-timed a slap shot past Leighton from the left point at 13:10 and Poapst put a low wrister from just outside the right faceoff dot through a screen and into the net at 16:48.
"I thought we were very respectful of them in the first period," Sutter said. "In the second period, we got after it and came out and played the way we could."
The Avalanche played the way they could in the third, which is becoming a habit, one they know needs to change.
"At least we're coming back, but the bad part, we need to get the lead," Forsberg said. "We need to work on that. Kono got a couple of big goals tonight, but we can't expect him to score every night. We need to get better right now."
