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Svatos stars for Avalanche in shootout win over Kings

Oct 1, 2006 - 4:05 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- Marek Svatos got things started for the Colorado Avalanche. He also helped end the preseason on a high note.

Svatos opened the scoring two minutes into the game and netted the only goal of the shootout as the Avalanche posted a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in the preseason finale for both clubs.

Before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, Svatos was making a case for the Calder Trophy in 2005-06, scoring 32 goals in 61 games. The 24-year-old Slovakian was in good form Saturday, igniting a three-goal outburst in the first period by beating goaltender Dan Cloutier at 2:05.

Former Maurice Richard Trophy winner Milan Hejduk and newcomer Tyler Arnason scored 32 seconds apart late in the first to give Colorado a 3-0 bulge. However, Lauri Tukonen got the Kings on the board at 5:37 of the second period and Jeff Cowan tallied twice later in the session to forge a tie.

Neither team was able to break through over the next 25 minutes, sending the game into a shootout. Svatos was the star of the format, scoring on the Avalanche's second opportunity to give the team a 3-0 record in shootouts this preseason.

Jose Theodore made 28 saves for Colorado, which hosts the Dallas Stars in its regular-season opener Wednesday.

Brian Willsie had two assists and Cloutier stopped 40 shots for the Kings, who start the campaign on the road against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.