Ehlers scores into his own net in OT, Avs beat Jets 3-2

DENVER – Rene Bourque had two goals, including the winner in overtime when Nikolaj Ehlers scored into his own net, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Friday night.

Bourque was credited with the goal when Ehlers, fighting for the puck along the side boards, backhanded the puck through the legs of teammate Toby Enstrom and past goaltender Michael Hutchinson 1:23 into overtime.

Mikko Rantanen scored his first career goal and Semyon Varlamov had 16 saves for the Avalanche.

Blake Wheeler had a goal and an assist, Mark Scheifele also scored and Ehlers had two assists. Hutchinson finished with 26 saves two weeks after blanking Colorado here.

Varlamov didn’t face many shots but came up with a big save in overtime when he stopped Wheeler on a breakaway.

Rantanen, who played in nine games last season and started this year in the AHL, got his first goal 1:03 into the second period. He got the puck at the right circle, looked for a passing lane before putting one off Hutchinson’s shoulder and in just 15 seconds into Colorado’s power play.

Bourque gave Colorado a 2-0 lead at 9:33 of the second, his third goal of the season.

The Jets wiped out the lead with goals 2:33 apart. Wheeler got Winnipeg within with 6:33 left and Scheifele tied it with a power-play goal later in the period.

Winnipeg defenceman Jacob Trouba made his season debut after signing a two-year deal with the team Monday. Trouba was a restricted free agent and held out to start the season.

Trouba had two shots on goal in 23:14 of ice time.

NOTES: Former Avalanche star and Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg was in attendance. … Colorado RW Blake Comeau missed his third straight game with a groin injury. … Winnipeg C Mathieu Perreault missed his fifth straight game with an upper-body injury. … Avalanche RW Jarome Iginla played in his 1,487th career game to tie Wayne Gretzky for 18th all time.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host Los Angeles on Sunday.

Avalanche: Host Boston on Sunday.