Just when it looked like the host Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings were headed for overtime, Brad Richards chipped a puck over Semyon Varlamov to stun the crowd of 50,095 at Coors Field.
That gave the Red Wings a 4-3 lead with one minute remaining in regulation, before they completed a 5-3 victory over the Avalanche on Saturday. Darren Helm scored into the empty net, capping off a four-goal third period for the visitors from Detroit.
(By the way, check out this backhander from Gustav Nyquist to get the Red Wings started in the final period.)
The win gives the Red Wings 73 points. They remain in the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, but move three points clear of Pittsburgh and six ahead of Philadelphia and New Jersey.
Colorado still holds the final Wild Card spot in the West.
Both teams got off to an entertaining start in the first period, with Detroit opening the scoring before Nathan MacKinnon -- on a perfect wrist shot for his 20th of the season -- and Tyson Barrie scored for the Avs to give them the lead.
After a sluggish second period for both teams, the Red Wings struck for four in the third.
Overtime loomed as Avs’ forward Alex Tanguay tied the game at three goals apiece, just 14 seconds after Justin Abdelkader gave Detroit the lead.
But just over five minutes later, Richards scored what proved to be the winner from a difficult angle.
Richards scores. This is his record fifth NHL outdoor game.
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) February 28, 2016