(Reuters) – The Colorado Avalanche scrapped to a 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks in overtime on Sunday to move into sole possession of the eighth, and final, playoff place in the Western Conference.
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John-Michael Liles scored the game-winner at 2:59 in overtime to help the Avalanche snap a four-game losing streak. Colorado now have 91 points, two ahead of ninth-placed Calgary, with four matches remaining.
“It’s the biggest win of the year,” Avalanche coach Joe Sacco told reporters after Liles re-directed Ryan Wilson’s shot into the net for the winner.
“And then the next game will be the biggest for us.”
Colorado (42-29-7) trailed 2-0 in the first period but scored four unanswered goals beginning with Kyle Quincey’s wrist shot in the first, two second-period goals from Peter Mueller and a Paul Stastny power-play conversion just 20 seconds into the third.
Sharks winger Patrick Marleau notched his 43rd goal of the season to cut the deficit before Joe Pavelski tied the game for San Jose (48-20-11), who had their Western Conference lead cut to two points after the Chicago Blackhawks beat Calgary 4-1.
Dany Heatley assisted on both goals in the third for San Jose, who have lost two of three while trying to secure the top seed in the conference for the playoffs.
Team points leader Joe Thornton returned to the lineup from a lower body injury and added two assists while Douglas Murray and Jamie McGinn opened the scoring for the Sharks.
San Jose goaltender Evgeni Nabokov made 35 saves as Colorado out-shot the Sharks 40-22, but he could not hold off the determined Avalanche, who finished last in the West last season.
“All along we said we controlled our own destiny,” Liles said. “If we continue to win hockey games, then we’re going to put ourselves in (a) good position.”
(Reporting by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
Twitter Gate: Congress will take action against Tharoor at the appropriate time: Tewari
New Delhi, Sep.18 (ANI): The Congress party on Friday said it would take appropriate action against Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor for his “cattle class” comments through the medium of Twitter at the appropriate time.
Addressing a party news conference in the capital, Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said: “We will take appropriate action (against Mr. Tharoor) at the appropriate time.
Tewari further said that action against Tharoor was not ruled out.
He also justified Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s statement on Thursday seeking Tharoor’s resignation for what he called “irresponsible” comments on the social networking site Twitter.
“It was unfortunate and unbecoming on his part to make such comments. In my view he should tender his resignation as Minister,” Gehlot had said.
“To make such irreverent comments is all the more despicable when one is holding a responsible position as that of the Minister of State for External Affairs,” Gehlot told journalists at his official residence here after a “Roza Iftar” party on Thursday evening.
Gehlot had termed Tharoor’s references posted on the site such as “cattle class” and “holy cows” as unacceptable in Indian politics.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan also said Tharoor had no right to continue in the Union Cabinet.
“I believe that in a democracy, people are God. To refer to them as ‘cattle’ is an insult to them. And I believe that such a person has no right to be a Union minister,” he told reporters.
Tharoor, who is on an official visit to Liberia, had earlier apologized through the Twitter medium, saying he was “sorry” for hurting any sentiments and that his words had been misunderstood.
“To those hurt by the belief that my repeating the phrase showed contempt: sorry. It’s a silly expression, but means no disrespect to economy travellers, only to airlines for herding us in like cattle. Many have misunderstood,” Tharoor said.
The minister said that he had learned belatedly of the fuss “over my tweet and pointed out that the phrase “cattle class” was used in the query, which he just repeated. (ANI)