Colorado goalie Peter Budaj, right, stops a shot from Shawn Horcoff during an Edmonton power play in the third period Saturday night at Rexall Place. (Jason Franson/Canadian Press)

The Colorado Avalanche may have rallied to beat the Edmonton Oilers, but it was goaltender Peter Budaj who made the comeback possible.

Budaj made 33 saves and forward Darcy Tucker scored the shootout winner in the fifth round as Colorado upended the Oilers 3-2 Saturday night at Rexall Place.

Tucker was also a key contributor in regulation time, scoring the tying goal with only 10.7 seconds remaining in the third to force overtime.

The former Toronto Maple Leaf was called upon again in the shootout, burying a shot between the legs of Edmonton goaltender Dwayne Roloson. Budaj then denied Oilers centre Shawn Horcoff to secure the win.

"He's good shot so I thought he was going to [shoot]," Budaj told Hockey Night In Canada of the save on Horcoff. "I was able to get my pad on it. [The puck] was stuck in my pants so I was lucky."

The Slovakian native was definitely the difference for the Avalanche (8-8-0), making 13 saves in the third period to keep his team within striking distance.

Budaj has been one of the hottest goaltenders in recent games.

The Colorado netminder made 26 saves in shutting out Nashville last Saturday and 31 in besting the scorching hot goalie Roberto Luongo in a shootout win over Vancouver on Wednesday.

Colorado winger Wojtek Wolski and Edmonton centre Sam Gagner also exchanged shootout goals.

Former Oiler Ryan Smyth scored for the Avalanche in the first period, while Edmonton received regulation markers from Robert Nilsson and rookie Liam Reddox.

Dwayne Roloson, making his first start in 10 days, made 30 saves in his return for the Oilers (8-7-2)

First goal to Edmonton

Edmonton struck first at 6:44 of the first period while on the power play. Nilsson snapped a 10-game goalless drought by deking Budaj before sliding the puck into the net.

The Avalanche tied the game with less than nine minutes remaining in the first on Smyth's fifth goal of the season. In typical fashion, the former Edmonton captain crashed the net and swiped a rebound by Roloson as he was falling to the ice.

The Oilers regained their one-goal advantage following Reddox's first NHL goal. Playing in only his second NHL game, the 2004 fourth-round pick quickly controlled the puck off the boards and raised a shot over a sprawled Budaj.

Edmonton had a glorious chance to increase its lead by two in the first minute of the third. With the Oilers playing short-handed, Ales Hemsky intercepted a passing attempt but Budaj robbed his foe with a terrific glove save.

Budaj brilliant

Budaj was brilliant once again on Edmonton's power play, stopping five shots during a wild flurry in front of the Avalanche net.

The Oilers could've ended the game in the final minute while killing off a penalty and the Colorado net empty. Horcoff stole the puck and headed in for what appeared to be a sure goal, but Colorado defenceman Brett Clark blocked the shot with his left skate.

"I was like 'Come on Brett, try to slide or something like that,'" Budaj joked of Clark's save off Horcoff. "He made a great play and sacrificed his body. He just stood there and took one for the team."

That set in motion a wild finish to the third.

Another Edmonton penalty created a rare 6-on-3, which the Avalanche converted after Tucker redirected a point shot in the waning seconds.

Colorado won despite play without captain Joe Sakic, who missed his second consecutive game with back spasms. In 12 games this year, the veteran has only two goals and 10 assists.