Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Pierre-Marc Bouchard's goal 11:58 into overtime sent the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal set from Pepsi Center.

Bouchard accepted a pass from Brian Rolston in the low slot on the right wing, crossed over to the left side and ripped a wrister over the glove of Jose Theodore, who appeared to be partially screened when the shot was released.

"It was a perfect shot, tough for the goalie," said Wild forward Mikko Koivu of Bouchard's shot. "He put it right where he wanted to. We had to go and win here in Colorado, this is always a tough building to play in. We gotta go and get rest, play tomorrow."

Rolston also scored, as did Koivu for the Wild, who lead the best-of-seven series two games to one.

Niklas Backstrom made 44 saves.

Joe Sakic picked up a goal and one assist for the Avalanche, who have dropped the last two games of the series in the extra session. Andrew Brunette hit the net while Theodore was solid in the loss with 36 stops.

"It's a close matchup. Our goalie kept us in the OT," said Avs defenseman Kurt Sauer, commenting on Minnesota's 12-7 shot advantage in overtime. "That's playoff hockey. One bounce and then you are on the other side of the 'W.' We can get up for tomorrow, it's the playoffs."

The Avs look to rebound from the setback in Game 4, slated for Tuesday in Denver.

Colorado broke through with 4:41 to play in the first period. Sakic unleashed his trademark wrister from the left circle. Backstrom couldn't control the rebound, which kicked to Brunette on the right side for an open-net goal.

With the Avs on a power play late in the second, Backstrom made a spectacular diving save as time wound down in the second, falling backwards to smother Wojtek Wolski's shot from 10 feet out.

The Avs failed to convert on the carry-over advantage, and Minnesota tied the game 7:13 into the third.

Koivu was relatively un-marked while skating up the slot, and all he needed to do was tap his stick on the ice to deflect a centering pass from Todd Fedoruk into the net.

The Wild used a short-handed rush with 8:28 left in regulation to go ahead by a goal. Pavol Demitra got loose at center ice and broke in on a 2-on-1. He waited until the back-checking Peter Forsberg fell to the ice, threaded a pass across the top of the crease, and Rolston slammed the disc into the wide-open right side of the cage.

Sakic knotted the game with 5:04 to play, as Brunette fell into Backstrom while battling for a loose puck, freeing the veteran to chase down the rebound and lift a backhander over the scrum.