The tally got the Avalanche back within striking distance in what had been a tightly-contested outing to that point by both teams.
But like it has done many times this season, the puck wasn't bouncing in Colorado's favor.
Nathan MacKinnon, the team's representative at this past weekend's All-Star Game, had a great chance to tie the game early in the third period. MacKinnon's first shot was stopped by Gibson, but he got his rebound and poked the puck between the netminder's pads, only to see it slide inches wide of the far post.
Moments later, Jakob Silfverberg scored his second of the night to extend Anaheim's lead back to two.
Colorado kept pushing and got another good chance midway through the final stanza as Nikita Zadorov's outside shot got past Gibson, but again the puck trickled wide and Anaheim soon went down and scored at the other end of the ice.
That's just the way things have gone for the Avs this season.
"There are some turning points in that game for me," said Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar. "They get their third one and you're trying to open it up. You're running out of time, you're down 3-1, you have to open it up and take some chances, and then they end up banging in another couple."
The Avs power play didn't do the club any favors either. Colorado went 0-for-3 with the extra man opportunity in the opening period and then received another late in the second on a fortunate goaltender interference call. The team wasn't able to capitalize on the fourth chance and finished the game with five shots on goal while on the power play.
Anaheim took advantage of its lone man advantage early in the first period as Silfverberg's perfect tip opened the game's score.
"We have to shoot more," Rantanen said of the team's struggles while a man up. "That's the mentality you have to have on the power play."
The Avs have one of the busiest schedules to close out the regular season, as they'll play nearly every other day in the final 10 weeks. Rest will come at a premium, and the team won't get much on this short two-game California trip as it now heads up the coast to take on the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.
Once again, the Colorado's attention is on turning the page and trying to focus on getting a win.
"We want to be as close to .500 as we can," Duchene said of how the Avalanche is approaching these final weeks. "Obviously, we're not off to a great start but we got tomorrow. Quick turnaround, and we'll regroup and try to get after it."