The Colorado Avalanche bypassed Vegas, pulled together a full 60-minute effort and came away with a 4-1 victory in Anaheim over the Ducks.

Two days after calling out his team for their pitiful performance, Jean-Sebastien Giguere backstopped the Avs who played as inspired as they have all season..

Matt Duchene stepped up to the Giguere's challenge to be the best player on the ice. He charged up the ice and into the middle, put a shot toward the net the deflected onto John Mitchell's stick who put it home for a lead just a minute into the first period.

Duchene finished the game with eight shots on net, once again proving why he is the Avalanche's best player.

Gabriel Landeskog scored a shorthanded goal, Jamie McGinn added a fourth goal as the Avs powered their way to victory.

The question coming into the game was how the Avalanche would respond to Giguere saying that he was embarrassed to lose the way they have been. Giguere is expecting a nine game response to his comments but after one game, the team has answered.

It will be up to the Avs to continue this play to the end of the year. Even if it costs them a first overall pick, building a winning mentality is the more immediate need. Once again, it was only one game but it was the best game the Avalanche have played since they ran the Chicago Blackhawks out of the Pepsi Center on March 8, proving that they can, indeed, be a competitive hockey team.

Three Stars

1. Jean-Sebastien Giguere- Called his teammates out, then backed it up with a 21 save effort
2. Matt Duchene- goal, assists, 8 shots and was the best player on the ice
3. Gabriel Landeskog- scored the game-winning goal, shorthanded no less.

Facepalm of the Game

Ryan Getzlaf let Landeskog skate by him like he was a Ryan O'byrne cutout for his shorthanded goal. On the powerplay, Getzlaf needs to play better defense there.

Bang Bang play of the Game

Duchene said that he and Tyson Barrie worked on the one-timer that Duchene scored his powerplay goal on and it showed. The shot Duchene made was the same one that Steven Stamkos, Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane can. Not too shabby company to be a part of.

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