Avalanche tops Selanne’s 500th

Joe Sakic scored in a shootout and the Colorado Avalanche overcame Teemu Selanne’s 500th career goal to beat the Ducks, 3-2, on Wednesday night.

Tyler Arnason and Brad Richardson scored in regulation for the Avalanche. Jose Theodore made 30 saves and turned aside shots by Selanne, Ryan Shannon and Ryan Getzlaf in the shootout to win a rematch of last season’s Western Conference semifinalists.

Selanne became the 36th player in NHL history to reach the milestone. He joined Jari Kurri as the only Finnish-born NHL players to score 500 goals.

Selanne, 36, sent a wrist shot past Theodore at 14:54 of the second period. Andy McDonald set up the goal with a cross-ice pass.

Dustin Penner also scored for the Ducks and Chris Pronger had two assists. Jean-Sebastian Giguere stopped 41 shots. His shutout streak ended at 85 minutes 44 seconds.

The Ducks outshot the Avalanche, 12-10, in the third period. Brad Richardson missed an open net at 16:28 of the third for Colorado.

The score was tied, 2-2, after two periods.

The Ducks managed only seven shots until Theodore was called for tripping at 14:36 of the second period. The Ducks capitalized with Selanne and Penner scoring goals 78 seconds apart to tie it.

Selanne got his eighth of the season while the Ducks were on a power play. Theodore then stopped Pronger’s shot from the right point, but Penner sent the rebound in from in front of the crease at 16:12.

Colorado outshot the Ducks, 16-2, in the first period and led 2-0 on goals by Arnason and Richardson.

Arnason’s sixth goal of the season came at 7:51 when he converted a centering pass from Brett McLean. Richardson’s fifth goal came at 18:01 just as Scott Niedermayer was leaving the penalty box.