WINNIPEG, manitoba — For the fourth time on this franchise record-tying long trip and eighth overall, Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” was teed up and played loudly in the Avalanche’s locker room at the MTS Centre.
When Queen rocks the room, two points were earned.
Behind third-period goals from Cody McLeod, Matt Duchene and Blake Comeau (empty net), the Avs rallied to defeat the Central Division rival Winnipeg Jets 4-1 to conclude their grueling 15-day road trip 4-3.
“Seven-game road trip, sometimes you can lose your focus,” said Avs coach Patrick Roy, whose team had lost the three previous games after beginning 3-0. “I’m very proud of our guys. They stayed focused and paid attention to the details of the game. I thought we did a good job defending and we found ways to score the big goals.”
Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov returned from a seven-game absence — the latter five because of a groin injury — to get the win. He faced only 21 shots while watching his teammates put 28 pucks on Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson.
“I know the expectations from me are huge,” said Varlamov, who improved to 4-6-1 this season. “I know that and I’m ready to play. I just need to stay healthy and continue to work hard.”
McLeod was originally given a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist and fight), but the helpers on Comeau’s empty-netter were changed to Carl Soderberg and Francois Beauchemin. Soderberg scored the game-tying goal late in the second period.
“This was a good test for us,” said McLeod, whose face was damaged from a fight and a high-sticking double-minor, an injury that required stitches. “Winnipeg is a good, physical team and you know every time you come in here it’s going to be a battle. For the most part we answered the bell. We played a full 60- minute road game.”
Defenseman Zach Redmond’s shot caromed off McLeod at 6:45 of the third period to break a 1-1 tie, and Duchene added some insurance at 16:09 with a skilled backhand on a semi-breakaway.
Two ugly goals defined the first two periods, and shots were 9-9 after the first and 16-16 heading into the third. Winnipeg’s Tony Enstrom and Soderberg had the goals.
Enstrom’s shot from the point skimmed off Duchene and past Varlamov, who didn’t see the puck, at 16:40 of the first period. The Avs tied it late in the second period when Soderberg drove to the net from the right wing and lost the puck — which caromed in off a Jets defenseman. The power-play goal was anything but pretty.
“We have to grind them out in here. They don’t give them to you,” Duchene said. “They work really hard and they’re a big, physical team. We had to earn it tonight.”
Duchene’s goal was his 10th in November, tying him with Claude Lemieux (1995-96) for the franchise record. Duchene was tied at nine with general manager Joe Sakic (2000-01).
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or @mikechambers
