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Budaj, Clark lift Avalanche over Bruins

Mar 7, 2007 - 4:06 AM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Peter Budaj and Brett Clark kept the Colorado Avalanche's playoff hopes alive.

Budaj recorded his fifth career shutout and Clark scored his first game-winner of the season to lead the Avalanche a 2-0 victory over the Boston Bruins.

The goaltender made 21 saves as Colorado won its fourth straight game and moved within eight points of the Minnesota Wild for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"It's a huge win, especially coming on a big road trip and coming after a big overtime win in Detroit," Budaj said. "The penalty kill tonight was unbelievable."

Colorado, winners in the first four of a six-game road trip, killed all five Boston power plays.

Clark gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at 4:57 of the third period when his shot from the left faceoff circle beat goaltender Tim Thomas. Colorado's Brett McLean was in the crease at the time and appeared to screen Thomas.

"I can't move him (McLean) because he's between Tim and the net," Boston defenseman Aaron Ward said. "If I move him, I basically hand them a goal. You hope that in the rules set forth in the rulebook, the referees would call it. In the rulebook, it's goalie interference."

Thomas and the Bruins argued that McLean should have been whistled for goaltender interference, but they were denied.

"The way I understand the rules, yes, that was goalie interference," Thomas said. "You're not allowed to run into the goalie in the crease. It's not like he ran me to hurt me or anything. I saw vaguely on the replay, and it looked like he fell and his momentum carried him into me, but that's still interference by the rule."

Rookie Paul Stastny assisted on Clark's goal, giving him points in 16 straight games, tying him with his father, Peter Stastny, for the second longest rookie points streak in NHL history.

"Maybe in the summertime, but I try not to worry about stuff like that," Stastny said of extending his streak.

Stastny has eight goals and 15 assists in his streak, which started in a 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on February 3. He is second in rookie scoring with 22 goals and 41 assists in 67 games.

"Paul's been terrific right from the outset of the season," Colorado's coach Joe Quenneville said. "He has a tremendous sense for the game, with or without the puck. He has a lot of confidence right now and he's a big part of our team. His instincts are high end, and he has a lot of things you can't even teach."

Teemu Selanne holds the record with points in 17 straight games for the Winnipeg Jets in 1993.

Milan Hejduk's empty-net goal with 49 seconds remaining in the third period iced the victory. The right wing, who extended his points streak to six games, has 25 points in his last 18 contests.

Thomas made 28 saves for the Bruins, who lost for just the fifth time in their last 16 games. They remained 12th in the East, four points out of the final playoff spot.

"Tonight was an important game," Thomas said. "Four points out of the playoffs going in. I could have been two if we got the win. We played a great game against the New Jersey Devils (a 4-1 win on Sunday), a very good team. We had a chance to pick up some points and we didn't get the job done."

Boston right wing Glen Murray sustained a lower body injury in the third period and did not return. Bruins coach Dave Lewis said he is day-to-day.