Final - 2OT
Sakic, Avalanche top Wild in shootout
Apr 6, 2008 - 11:50 PM DENVER (Ticker) -- Captain Joe Sakic scored in both regulation and the shootout and Wojtek Wolski also tallied in the bonus format as the Colorado Avalanche skated to a 4-3 triumph over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.Jose Theodore stopped both attempts in the shootout and Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk also scored for Colorado (44-31-7), which moved past Calgary (42-30-10) to clinch the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Peter Forsberg added three assists for the Avalanche, who will face the Wild (44-28-10) in the conference quarterfinals. The seventh-seeded Flames will play the Pacific Division champion San Jose Sharks (49-22-10).
"For us, the playoffs started two or three months ago, and you just have to keep doing the same thing," Theodore said. "I think in the playoffs, everybody is going to have to step it up. You can have the best season in the world, and (in the) playoffs, you have to step it up. That's how the playoffs are played and that's how you have to approach it to have success."
"It's great, I ended up on a good note here and we got a win," Forsberg said. "Now the fun starts. It's going to be tough. I think (Minnesota) can play much better than we played them today, so it's going to be hard."
Mark Parrish and Brian Rolston scored and defenseman Keith Carney added his first goal of the season for Minnesota.
"I figured hey, why not?" Carney said of his first tally. "I don't want to wait until next year. I want to get it in now."
Statistics aside, Rolston expects a physical battle when the teams meet in the postseason.
"We have a tough series ahead and it's going to be a real big battle, and we're playing a really good team," Rolston said. "Obviously, we've played them eight times, so (there are) no secrets. It's just a matter of going out and getting it done.
"I'm sure there is going to be a little bit of the rough stuff in the playoffs because we're playing for the Stanley Cup. It's just the way it is. It's going to be a battle, and we understand that. Like I said, we're playing a good hockey team."
In the bonus format, Wolski used several dekes before sliding the puck past goaltender Josh Harding and just inside the left goalpost.
After Theodore denied defenseman Petteri Nummelin, Sakic wristed the puck past Harding to give Colorado a decisive advantage.
Theodore, who finished with 34 saves, sealed the win by denying Pierre-Marc Bouchard with a pad save.
Colorado scored twice on the power play in the third period, much to the pleasure of coach Joel Quenneville.
"Both power-play units have been effective down the stretch, so I think it's much more dangerous than it's been at any point," Quenneville said.
- NHL
FINAL IN SHOOTOUT 1ST 2ND 3RD OT TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 1 1 1 0 (0) 3
COLORADO 0 1 2 0 (2) 4 FINAL IN SHOOTOUT
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 16 (PAVOL DEMITRA, MIKKO KOIVU)
17:02
2ND PRD: COL - PAUL STASTNY 24 (PETER FORSBERG, MILAN HEJDUK) 5:25
MIN - KEITH CARNEY 1 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHAR
Wild 3, Avalanche 4 Final - 2OTApr 6 5:44 PM - NHL
END OF OT 1ST 2ND 3RD OT TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 1 1 1 0 3
COLORADO 0 1 2 0 3 END OF OT
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 16 (PAVOL DEMITRA, MIKKO KOIVU)
17:02
2ND PRD: COL - PAUL STASTNY 24 (PETER FORSBERG, MILAN HEJDUK) 5:25
MIN - KEITH CARNEY 1 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, STEP
Apr 6 5:42 PM - NHL
END OF THE 3RD GOING INTO OT
1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 1 1 1 3
COLORADO 0 1 2 3 GOING INTO OT
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 16 (PAVOL DEMITRA, MIKKO KOIVU)
17:02
2ND PRD: COL - PAUL STASTNY 24 (PETER FORSBERG, MILAN HEJDUK) 5:25
MIN - KEITH CARNEY 1 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, STEPHANE
VEILLEUX) 16:32
3R
Apr 6 5:26 PM - NHL
MINNESOTA 3
COLORADO 3
3RD PRD: MIN - BRIAN ROLSTON 31 (PETTERI NUMMELIN, PAVOL DEMITRA)
16:39
Wild 3, Avalanche 3 3rd - 3:21Apr 6 5:21 PM - NHL
MINNESOTA 2
COLORADO 3
3RD PRD: COL - (PP) MILAN HEJDUK 29 (PETER FORSBERG, JOE SAKIC) 9:02
Wild 2, Avalanche 3 3rd - 10:58Apr 6 5:07 PM - NHL
MINNESOTA 2
COLORADO 2
3RD PRD: COL - (PP) JOE SAKIC 13 (PETER FORSBERG, PAUL STASTNY) 5:48
Wild 2, Avalanche 2 3rd - 14:12Apr 6 5:00 PM - NHL
END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 1 1 2
COLORADO 0 1 1 END OF THE 2ND
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 16 (PAVOL DEMITRA, MIKKO KOIVU)
17:02
2ND PRD: COL - PAUL STASTNY 24 (PETER FORSBERG, MILAN HEJDUK) 5:25
MIN - KEITH CARNEY 1 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, STEPHANE
VEILLEUX) 16:32
SHOT
Apr 6 4:36 PM - NHL
MINNESOTA 2
COLORADO 1
2ND PRD: MIN - KEITH CARNEY 1 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, STEPHANE
VEILLEUX) 16:32
Wild 2, Avalanche 1 2nd - 3:28Apr 6 4:29 PM - NHL
MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 1
2ND PRD: COL - PAUL STASTNY 24 (PETER FORSBERG, MILAN HEJDUK) 5:25
Wild 1, Avalanche 1 2nd - 14:35Apr 6 4:09 PM - NHL
END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 1 1
COLORADO 0 0 END OF THE 1ST
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 16 (PETTERI NUMMELIN, MIKKO KOIVU)
17:02
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MIN 14 14
COL 13 13
GOALIES: MIN - JOSH HA
Apr 6 3:46 PM - NHL
MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 0
1ST PRD: MIN - (PP) MARK PARRISH 16 (PETTERI NUMMELIN, MIKKO KOIVU)
17:02
Wild 1, Avalanche 0 1st - 2:58Apr 6 3:40 PM
Related News
- Avalanche Prospects Mailbag: Panning for Gold Dec 26
- Recap: Avalanche dominate in much-needed get-right game against Arizona Dec 23
- Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Arizona Coyotes (7:00 p.m.) Dec 23
- Preview: Avalanche square off against Coyotes Dec 23
- Weekly Grades: MacKinnon Nichushkin Domination Edition Dec 22
- Recap: Nathan MacKinnon career night strikes down Sens Dec 22
- Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Ottawa Senators (7 p.m.) Dec 21
- Preview: A fight through the darkness Dec 21
- Why Devon Toews’ comments will fuel the Avalanche Dec 20
- Recap: Avs get Mrazek’d in Chicago Dec 20
- Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Chicago Blackhawks (6:30 p.m.) Dec 19
- Preview: Avalanche in the Windy City Dec 19