DENVER – Colorado Avalanche goalie Craig Anderson was close to perfect for the second game in a row on Tuesday night.

But that wasn’t quite good enough.

San Jose center Joe Pavelski scored 10:24 into overtime to lift the Sharks to a 2-1 victory over Colorado in Game 4 of the teams’ first-round playoff series at Pepsi Center. Pavelski’s tally spoiled a second straight virtuoso performance by Anderson and saved the top-seeded Sharks from falling to the brink of elimination.

The best-of-seven series is tied at two games apiece with Game 5 set for Thursday night in San Jose.

Pavelski’s game-winner came as the Sharks were racing up the ice in transition. Defenseman Douglas Murray left the puck for him in the center of the ice, and Pavelski gathered it and ripped a wrist shot that beat Anderson, abruptly silencing the announced crowd of 18,007.

Each of the four games in the series have been decided by one goal, and Tuesday’s was the third in a row to go to overtime.

But unlike Game 3, in which the Sharks dominated the action and had a 51-17 advantage in shots on goal, Tuesday night’s contest featured plenty of scoring chances for both teams. The Sharks took 45 shots to Colorado’s 34, and San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov equaled Anderson’s level of play with 33 saves.

The game got off to an ominous start for the Avalanche, as forward Paul Stastny was whistled for a high stick moments after the opening faceoff. The Sharks took advantage when defenseman Dan Boyle fired a slap shot past Anderson 72 seconds into the game.

Colorado evened the score early in the second period with a power-play goal. Moments after San Jose defensemen Rob Blake was sent to the penalty box, the Avalanche won a faceoff and Brandon Yip nudged the puck to defenseman John-Michael Liles. From just inside the blue line, Liles blasted a slap shot that Stastny redirected past Nabokov.

Both teams had quality chances in the third period and several in overtime. But Anderson and Nabokov sprawled their way to game-saving stops.

Anderson has made 165 saves and yielded just nine goals in the first four games of the series. Tuesday night’s game-winner was just the second he’s yielded in the last two contests – 131:15 of game time.

Sharks center Joe Pavelski, right, looked for a pass as Avalanche right wing Brandon Yip and goalie Craig Anderson defended during overtime Tuesday night in Denver. Pavelski scored the game-winner, lifting San Jose over Colorado 2-1 and evening the playoff series at 2. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Avalanche center Stephane Yelle, right, and Sharks left wing Jamie McGinn fought for control of the puck during the first period Tuesday night in Denver. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS