Former Avalanche winger Steve Reinprecht was too good for Colorado on Wednesday night, producing three goals and an assist on the game-winner to lead Phoenix to a 5-2 victory over the Avs at the Pepsi Center and a home-and-home sweep for the Coyotes.
Phoenix, which beat the Avs 4-3 in a shootout Monday in Glendale, Ariz., scored three times in the final 3:11 of the third period to climb over .500 (19-18-1) for the season.
Reinprecht, who scored the game’s first two goals, assisted on Shane Doan’s tap-in power-play goal to break a 2-2 tie. The Coyotes added two short-handed empty-net goals, by former Avalanche players. Radim Vrbata got the first one, and Reinprecht the second to complete his fourth career hat trick.
The loss was the fourth straight for Colorado (21-16-3) and third in a row at home, where the Avs fell to 15-6. Winger Marek Svatos was the hero and the goat for the Avs. He scored two second-period goals to forge the tie but committed a tripping penalty with 4:32 to play that led to Doan’s winning goal.
“We captured the momentum in the second period, played very well,” Svatos said. “But bad penalty by me. Four minutes left in the game. We had lots of chances and should have put that team away in the second or the beginning of the third.”
Defenseman Brett Clark had nothing positive to say about the Avs’ performance.
“We were flat the whole game,” he said. “It is not acceptable for our team. We gave them too much. Everything they got tonight we gave them.”
The Coyotes, who scored twice within 11 seconds Monday, struck twice within 1:02 of the first period Wednesday. Reinprecht scored both on rebounds that goalie Peter Budaj left in front of the left post.
Colorado cut its deficit in half at 17:40 on Svatos’ 14th goal of the season after Jaroslav Hlinka threw the puck at the crease and Svatos back-handed in his own rebound.
Svatos got his 15th goal, tying Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk for the team lead, 8:02 into the second period. Andrew Brunette made a nice pass from behind the net and Svatos one-timed it above Ilya Bryzgalov’s glove.
Phoenix weathered the ensuing Avs storm before adding its second power-play goal, finishing 2-of-3 with the man advantage. The Avs were 0-of-3.
“We have a lot of quality young people around here,” Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky said. “The future is really exciting for this organization. We know we still have a long way to go but we’re really proud of what we’ve done in the first half.”
Colorado entered the game with the NHL’s best record in the month of January since arriving in Denver in 1995. The Avs are 84-32-24-8 in January.
They host the New York Islanders on Saturday before beginning a five-game road trip that starts in Detroit on Tuesday.
“We have to get back on track, and it’s going to have to happen on the long trip coming up,” defenseman Jordan Leopold said. “Last three or four games actually have been a see-saw battle, and tonight we fought back from 2-0. We’re just not closing out games.”
By the numbers: 3
Avalanche losing streak at the Pepsi Center. Entering Wednesday night’s game against the Phoenix Coyotes, the Avs were 15-5 at home — the second-best start since the team began playing in Denver in 1995. The team’s overall losing streak stands at four.
Avs Recap
Three stars
1. Steve Reinprecht.
Big night for the former Av, with three goals and an assist on the game-winner.
2. Ilya Bryzgalov.
Former Ducks goalie now 2-0 against Colorado while wearing the Coyotes sweater.
3. Marek Svatos.
Had two goals for the Avs but committed the penalty that led to the winning power-play goal.
What you might have missed
Avs rookie T.J. Hensick failed to convert on a first-period breakaway, after Ian Laperriere made a long three-line pass in front of the Colorado net.
Up next
New York Islanders, Saturday at the Pepsi Center.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
