The relatively healthy Avalanche was a better team when it was injury-depleted — much like the current banged-up Pittsburgh Penguins.

Minus superstar Sidney Crosby and a handful of other regulars Friday night, the Pens rallied from a third-period deficit and defeated the Avs 4-3 in overtime at the Pepsi Center.

Center Jared McCann scored with 1:41 remaining in the 3-on-3 session as Pittsburgh improved to 10-2-1 in its last 13 games. The Avs, who were beginning a five-game homestand, fell to 3-6-2 in their last 11 games and 1-4-1 at in their last six at home.

“I thought we played hard,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said.

Avs goalie Pavel Francouz allowed three goals on 12 shots in the third period and OT.

“I don’t like separating our goalies from our team because there were areas of our game tonight that weren’t great,” Bednar said. “But that’s a really good hockey team. It was a really good hockey game. I have no problem with the way we played or the effort we played with.”

He added: “I’m sure Frankie would probably say he wants one of those goals back.”

Bryan Rust tied it 2-2 early in the third period and Evgeni Malkin struck with 4:17 remaining in regulation to give Pittsburgh its first lead of the game. But the Avs answered with 31 seconds left and Francouz on the bench for a sixth attacker when Cale Makar’s slap shot from the point was redirected past goalie Matt Murray by Matt Calvert.

Colorado did not produce a shot in OT, including on a 2-on-1 rush with Makar and Andre Burakovsky.

“We can’t give that up in the third period. Definitely (unfortunate) when you drop wins like that,” Makar said. “Obviously we get the one point. But we came here for two.”

Colorado got its first two goals from Nathan MacKinnon (power play) and Gabe Landeskog.

“I think we deserved more today,” Francouz said. “(McCann) shot it through a screen and it went my five-hole (between the legs). I think it’s great for us that we were able to bounce back and tie it with an empty-net. But I think we deserved two points.”

The Penguins played their 27th consecutive game without Crosby, who is on the three-game trip but canceled a scheduled skate Friday morning. Crosby is recovering from core-muscle surgery. Pittsburgh was also missing forwards Jake Guentzel and Nick Bjugstad and defensemen Justin Schultz and Brian Dumoulin.

The Avs took a 2-1 lead into the third period after getting a gift goal at 18:20 of the second. Landeskog’s high dump-in from Pittsburgh’s blue line changed direction upon landing and bounced over Murray’s left leg pad.

MacKinnon scored the game’s first goal at 14:38 of the first period and Teddy Blueger tied it at 13:29 of the second. MacKinnon’s 27th goal of the season came on the power play, and Blueger’s tally unfolded six seconds after a Penguins power play expired.

Pittsburgh had a first-period goal by Malkin immediately disallowed because of goaltender interference.

Footnotes. Colorado is now 11-7-3 at home. The Avs are 20-1-3 when taking a lead into the third period. … MacKinnon had a team-high six shots but just two after the first period. … Avs forward Joonas Donskoi (concussion protocol) missed his first game of the season. He was among four to have played in Colorado’s previous 44 games, along with MacKinnon, Sam Girard and Matt Nieto. The Avs’ only healthy scratch was defenseman Mark Barberio … The Avs will take Saturday off and practice Sunday and Monday before hosting the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.

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