Denver, CO (My Sportsbook) - Marek Svatos had two goals and an assist as the Colorado Avalanche downed the Calgary Flames, 4-3, at the Pepsi Center.

Milan Hejduk and Ruslan Salei each lit the lamp for the Avalanche, who snapped a four-game slide. Peter Budaj made 36 saves in the win.

"We don't think we can relax," said Svatos. "This is just one win and we have a lot of catching up to do. Right now, it's like the playoffs for us. Lately our luck was we were always one goal down, then we start pushing the panic button. But tonight we got a win against one of the best teams in the league."

Rene Bourque, Adrian Aucoin and Jarome Iginla each had a goal for the Flames, who had won three straight coming into the contest. Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 38 shots in the loss.

"We have no reason to feel that this was a 'gimmie'", said Iginla. "We knew they were desperate. Our games with them have always been close. We did not make the plays we needed to tonight."

The Flames drew first blood in the game as Bourque slammed home a rebound in the slot at the 7:43 mark of the first period, but Svatos tied the game five minutes later when he banged in a loose puck.

Colorado took a 2-1 lead on the power play just 34 seconds into the second period, but Aucoin answered two minutes later to again tie the game.

The Avs made it a 3-2 game as Salei's one-timer from the left point made its way through a screen and past Kiprusoff at the 3:26 mark of the second.

The Flames again tied the game with 8:59 to play in the second as Iginla snapped home a quick wrister from the top of the right circle for his 20th goal of the season.

However, Colorado took a 4-3 lead into the third period thanks to Svatos' second goal of the game. On a 2-on-2 rush, Cody McLeod got around his defender and from the left side threw the puck out front where Svatos redirected it past Kiprusoff with 4:38 left in the frame.

Calgary manage 13 shots in the third period, but only had one power play chance, as the Avs played tight defense to hold on for the win.

Game Notes

Colorado hosts Dallas on Thursday...Calgary plays in Dallas on Tuesday...Iginla has hit the 20-goal mark in 11 of his 12 seasons in the NHL...Calgary won the first four games of the season series, but Colorado has won the last two...The Avs are 17-0-0 this season when leading after two periods.