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Sakic propels Avalanche past Canucks

Feb 28, 2008 - 7:11 AM VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- Joe Sakic is back.

Sakic scored a goal with 15 seconds left in regulation and added a tally in the second round of the shootout to lift the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.

Marek Svatos added an assist and ended the shootout with a tally in the third round for the Avalanche (33-26-6, 72 points), who jumped into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with the victory. They trail the Canucks (33-22-9, 73 points) by one point for seventh, but own the tiebreaker with the Nashville Predators (32-25-8, 72 points) based on wins.

"Fortunately for us, we gave up that one goal (to Alex Burrows with 1:45 remaining in the third period) and we could have easily lost that game," Sakic said. "It was nice to get that goal and obviously the two points for us were huge. That's two games in a row we've fought back late to tie it and win it in overtime."

The longtime captain for Colorado, Sakic missed nearly three months after undergoing hernia surgery. He returned on Sunday, but had yet to post a goal.

After a scoreless overtime session, Milan Hejduk was up first for the Avalanche in the shootout, but All-Star netminder Roberto Luongo made the save. Rookie Mason Raymond followed with a miss for the Canucks before Sakic set up at the circle.

The veteran center came straight up the slot and beat Luongo over his right shoulder.

"I kind of knew what I wanted to do because it's the only thing that works for me," Sakic said of his shootout move.

Jose Theodore stopped Ryan Shannon on Vancouver's next attempt, and Svatos made Sakic's goal count when he beat Luongo between the pads to end the game.

Burrows put the Canucks ahead with a disputed tally with 1:45 left in the third period. Burrows slipped the puck past Theodore during a scrum in front of the Avalanche goal.

"It came out on the side of the net and I was able just to poke it with one hand," Burrows said. "I thought it was close to the line and that's what I told the guys.

"The videos showed it was in, so it's nice to get a goal - but the bottom line is we didn't get the two points."

The puck slid just past the goal line before Henrik Sedin accidentally tipped it out. The play was reviewed, but Burrows was awarded with his ninth tally of the season and Vancouver had a 2-1 advantage.

"Somebody tripped me when the shot came from the point," Theodore said. "I ended up falling backwards. I don't know if it was their player or our player, but somebody tripped me. After that it was just a scramble. I really didn't think it went in, but then I saw the replay, and maybe it did go in."

But the Canucks defense let them down in the final seconds of regulation. Ryan Kesler attempted to clear the puck out of the Vancouver zone, but whiffed as he tried to hit the bouncing puck in the air.

Defenseman Ruslan Salei, who was acquired at the trade deadline on Tuesday from the Florida Panthers, sent the puck toward the net. Sakic caught the rebound and stuffed it past Luongo's left pad with tie the game at 2-2.

"We had about six chances to get it out, and we either shot it off the wrong guys or we didn't get it out. So next thing you know, shot from the point and Sakic is all on the side," Luongo said. "I was able to get the first save, but he chipped it over me on the second.

"It's unacceptable. It's inexcusable. That should never happen especially in an important game like that. We just (threw) away two points tonight."

It was Sakic's eighth goal of the season and first since November 28.

Theodore made 29 saves for the Avalanche, who finished their five-game road trip 3-1-1.

Luongo finished with 24 saves for Vancouver.