Avalanche 4, Sharks 3: Top overall pick Nathan MacKinnon recorded his first career two-goal performance and Jamie McGinn burned his former team by scoring for the third straight contest as host Colorado held on for its third consecutive victory.

Defenseman Erik Johnson also tallied as the Avalanche scored three times in a span of 66 seconds to seize a commanding 4-0 lead early in the second period. Semyon Varlamov finished with 30 saves to improve to 6-0-4 in his last 10 decisions for the Avalanche, who are 5-0-2 in their last seven at home.

Logan Couture cleaned up a loose puck to score in his career-high fourth straight game as San Jose trimmed a four-goal deficit to one at 5:44 of the third period. Varlamov denied Joe Pavelski on a breakaway later in the session and held the fort the rest of the way to send the Sharks to their seventh loss in their last nine road games.

Patrick Marleau collected a goal and two assists, Pavelski also tallied and captain Joe Thornton set up a goal to extend his assist streak to seven games. Alex Stalock turned aside six shots in relief of Antti Niemi, who yielded three goals on 14 shots.

MacKinnon opened the scoring 15:28 into the first period with a deflection before McGinn doubled the advantage nearly five minutes into the second after San Jose defenseman Dan Boyle lost control of the puck in front of his own net. The Avalanche sent Niemi to the showers just 52 seconds later as Johnson's soft wrist shot from just inside the blue line found its way home.

MacKinnon greeted Stalock 14 seconds later by racing into the offensive zone and wiring a shot under the crossbar from the right circle. The tally was his 12th goal of the season and fifth in six games.

With the Sharks on a 5-on-3 power play, Pavelski cleaned up a loose puck at 8:35 of the session before Marleau jumped on the ice on a delayed penalty and blasted a shot from the right circle to trim the deficit 96 seconds later. Marleau's 423rd career goal moved him past ex-San Jose great Owen Nolan for sole possession of 73rd place in NHL history.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Colorado RW Alex Tanguay may need hip surgery, coach Patrick Roy revealed to NHL.com. Tanguay has been sidelined since Nov. 2. ... Thornton has recorded 11 assists during his streak. ... Avalanche LW Gabriel Landeskog set up a tally to extend his point streak to six games. The captain has collected three goals and four assists in that stretch. ... The Avalanche snapped a streak of 15 consecutive contests (11-0-4) in which San Jose secured at least one point against them.