Jonathan Drouin and Jack Drury scored 52 seconds apart in a three-goal second period and the Colorado Avalanche beat weary Minnesota 5-2 on Friday night to pull even with the third-place Wild in the Central Division.

Ross Colton had two goals and an assist and Valeri Nichushkin also scored to help host Colorado win its second in a row on coach Jared Bednar’s 53rd birthday.

Nathan MacKinnon, the NHL’s leading scorer with 91 points, assisted on Nichushkin’s goal to extend his home points streak to 16 games. Mackenzie Blackwood made 18 saves.

Coming off a 6-1 loss at Utah the night before, the Wild led 2-1 after the first period on goals by Mats Zuccarello and Vincent Hinostroza.

Drouin tied it at 8:57 of the second, Drury followed with a backhander and Colton made it a two-goal game when he finished a 2-on-1 with 5:21 remaining.

The Wild showed the effects of playing on consecutive nights late in the second period when Colorado was cycling around the offensive zone in the final two minutes. Filip Gustavsson made several of his 25 saves.

Colorado’s offense has come alive after a lackluster two games out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break. The Avs have started their six-game homestand with two wins and have scored nine goals, eight over the last four periods.

Maple Leafs 3, Rangers 2: Matthew Knies broke a third-period tie, Anthony Stolarz made 33 saves and Toronto won at New York.

Knies scored his 22nd goal at 6:21 of the third, less than three minutes after Will Cuylle tied it for New York with a short-handed goal.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson and William Nylander also scored to help Toronto win its fourth straight game since the 4 Nations Face-off break.

Mika Zibanejad also scored for the Rangers. They had won two in a row.

Ekman-Larsson opened the scoring on a power play 1:47 into the contest. Zibanejad tied it with 6:52 left in the period, deflecting a pass from defenseman Will Borgen.

Nylander scored 51 seconds into the second, jamming a loose puck past goalie Igor Shesterkin for his team-leading 34th goal.

Cuylle tied it at 3:47 of the third with the short-handed score.

Toronto moved a point ahead of idle Florida for the Atlantic Division lead. The Rangers remained four points behind Ottawa and Detroit, current holders of wild-card playoffs spots.