ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jakob Silfverberg scored two goals, John Gibson made 28 saves and the Anaheim Ducks wrapped up a three-game season sweep of the struggling Colorado Avalanche with a 5-1 victory Tuesday night.
Rickard Rakell, Korbinian Holzer and Cam Fowler each added a goal for the Ducks, who moved ahead of Edmonton for second place in the Pacific Division by picking up at least one point for the 16th time in their last 18 games.
Mikko Rantanen scored and Calvin Pickard stopped 26 shots for the Avalanche, who have lost eight consecutive games and 24 of 28.
After Nathan MacKinnon nearly tied the game early in the third period, putting his own rebound just wide of Gibson, the Ducks broke the other way and Silfverberg scored his 15th of the season. It was Silfverberg's third multi-goal game this season.
Holzer then added his first goal since Feb. 9, 2013, snapping a 100-game drought, followed by Fowler's 11th of the season to pile it on against Colorado.
While both teams looked sluggish coming out of the All-Star break, the Ducks' special teams were anything but. Anaheim killed off all three penalties and scored on the only shot of its lone power play in the first period.
Silfverberg was somehow able to flick Nick Ritchie's pass on goal, where it split the narrow gap between Pickard and the post just as the penalty was expiring. It was Silfverberg's fourth goal with the man advantage this season.
Rakell added his 21st of the campaign 2:54 into the second period, capitalizing as the Avalanche left him alone in front of the net. Rakell was able to easily collect Corey Perry's pass and put it past Pickard, making his first start since fellow Colorado goalie Semyon Varlamov underwent season-ending groin surgery last week.
The Avalanche got on the board with Rantanen's eighth career goal thanks to a 2-on-0 break following Hampus Lindholm's turnover in the neutral zone.
Game notes
Perry got his 700th career point. ... Nate Thompson made his season debut for the Ducks after tearing his Achilles in June, playing 9:54. ... The Avalanche had D Tyson Barrie and RW Rene Bourque back in the lineup after lower-body injuries sidelined Barrie for four games and Bourque for three. ... The Ducks improved to 12-0-0 this season when holding opponents to one goal.
UP NEXT
Avalanche: Visit the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday to conclude a two-game Southern California road trip.
Ducks: At the Florida Panthers on Friday to start a six-game swing up the East Coast.