Maple Leafs 7, Avalanche 4
DENVER -- Center Tyler Bozak had a hat trick in the third period, and the Toronto Maple Leafs broke open a tie game with four goals in the last 20 minutes to beat the Colorado Avalanche 7-4 Monday night.
Center Leo Komarov had two goals and an assist, and left winger James van Riemsdyk added a goal and two assists for Toronto (12-13-7). Defenseman Jake Gardiner had four assists.
Maple Leafs left winger Joffrey Lupul also scored, and goaltender Jonathan Bernier stopped 24 shots for Toronto, which scored three times on the power play.
Bozak got his first goal a two-on-one rush with van Riemsdyk 49 seconds into the third. He scored on a breakaway at 6:47 to put Toronto ahead 5-3, and van Riemsdyk made it a three-goal game his 11th goal at 10:40.
Bozak finished the hat trick with an empty-net goal at 16:20.
The Avalanche got two goals from right winger Jack Skille. Defenseman Erik Johnson and center John Mitchell also scored for Colorado, which had its five-game winning streak stopped.
Goalie Semyon Varlamov was in net for all five wins and rode a personal six-game winning streak into Monday. He had a 0.99 goals-against average during the streak, but he allowed six goals on 21 shots Monday.
The Avalanche (17-17-1) went ahead 1-0 on Skille's goal 2:27 into the game. It was his fifth of the season and second in as many games.
Colorado had a chance to add to its lead on a power play midway through the first but couldn't get a shot on goal. The Maple Leafs cashed in when they got their chances with the man advantage.
Komarov tied the game at 13:34 of the first when his shot from the right circle beat Varlamov high on the short side. Toronto took a 2-1 lead 4:08 later when Lupul scored his ninth of the season on the power play.
Colorado tied it 1:07 into the second period on Mitchell's eighth goal.
Komarov got his second goal of the night and 15th of the season when he scored seven seconds into right winger Alex Tanguay's holding penalty at 12:03 of the second to make it 3-2.
Johnson tied it at 18:43 of the second with a power-play goal. It was Colorado's first shot on three power-play opportunities.
NOTES: Avalanche G Semyon Varlamov was named the NHL's First Star of the Week after going 3-0-0 with a 0.67 goals-against average, .981 save percentage and one shutout as Colorado extended its winning streak to five. ... Toronto G Garret Sparks was out for the second straight game with a lower-body injury. ... With the team playing well, Colorado coach Patrick Roy stuck with the same lineup against the Maple Leafs. D Brandon Gormley and RW Chris Wagner were the healthy scratches. ... Toronto G James Reimer worked out on the ice Monday and could be available Sunday when the Maple Leafs play the New York Islanders. He has missed five consecutive games.