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Stastny, Wolski propel Avalanche to win over Flames

Nov 6, 2007 - 7:07 AM By Dave Reed PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) -- The Colorado Avalanche needed extra time to beat the Calgary Flames in their first two meetings this season. On Monday, regulation was more than enough.

Paul Stastny scored twice and Wojtek Wolski had a goal and two assists to lead the Avalanche to a 4-1 victory over the Flames.

Tied at 1-1 at 11:15 of the second period, Wolski put the Avalanche ahead when he got just enough of a pass from right wing Milan Hejduk to send the puck past Calgary goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff high on the glove side just inside the near post.

"We're moving the puck pretty well and we seem to be having a lot of fun our there," said Wolski of his line that included Statsny and Hejduk, which accounted three goals and five assists. "(With) the opportunities that we're getting, we seem to be converting right now."

Colorado, which improved to 7-0-0 when leading after two periods, added a third goal 45 seconds into the third period when Stastny beat Kiprusoff with the backhand from the edge of the crease after taking a pass from Wolski, who was in the right circle.

"Kipper (Kiprusoff) obviously helped them stay in it for awhile," Stastny said. "We just kept battling, we got a couple bounces to go in."

Stastny padded his numbers - and the lead - at 10:12 of the third when he beat Kiprusoff with the backhand again after the Flames netminder was unable to corral a wrister by right wing Milan Hejduk. The 21-year-old center notched his second multi-goal game of the season, and has 17 points - six goals and 11 assists - in eight home games.

After suffering through a 13-15-0-1 record and 3.26 goals-against average last season, thereby drawing the criticism of the Colorado faithful, Jose Theodore is doing his best to ignite a controversy in net for the Avalanche with starter Peter Budaj.

"I feel good getting the wins," Theodore said. "As a team, they are big points. It's fun to be able to bounce back after a loss. The guys played well for 60 minutes."

In winning his third straight start, the ex-Montreal Canadien stopped 23 shots, with the only goal coming against Flames' right wing Jerome Iginla on the lone power play in the first quarter.

Left wing Ryan Smyth picked up his 300th career assist and center Joe Sakic extended his point and assist streak to eight games on the Avalanche's first goal, extending Sakic's NHL-best assist streak this season.

"This game was different," Iginla said. "I thought they controlled it the whole game and they outworked us today. It wasn't a similar game to the first two that we felt like we let points get away. This was a game that right from the start, they outworked us and that's not good enough."