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Avs welcome Canucks for Northwest showdown

Jan 2, 2011 - 4:43 PM (Sports Network) - The struggling Colorado Avalanche will try to gain some ground in the race for the Northwest Division title when they host the powerful Vancouver Canucks tonight at the Pepsi Center.

The Canucks have staked themselves to a six-point lead over the Avalanche for first place in the Northwest thanks in large part to Vancouver's stellar play since the end of November. Alain Vigneault's club is 13-1-2 over its last 16 games and the Canucks have gone without a regulation loss in 11 straight contests (9-0-2).

Colorado, meanwhile, has lost four out of five games (1-3-1) since a six-game winning streak from Dec. 10-19. The Avalanche, who are tied for fifth in the West with 45 points, were dealt their most recent loss Friday night in Calgary.

The Canucks have dominated the recent series with Colorado, winning all three meetings this season to give Vancouver seven victories in the last eight encounters between the clubs. The Avalanche have also lost three in a row and five out of six as the host against the Canucks.

The Avs allowed Calgary to score all three of its goals in the second period on New Year's Eve and Colorado's two-goal rally in the third period was not enough to escape the 3-2 defeat at the Saddledome.

Daniel Winnik and Tomas Fleischmann scored for the Avalanche, while Craig Anderson made 20 saves in the loss.

"It's a game about mistakes and we made more in the second period than we should have," Fleischmann said. "They capitalized on them."

Colorado hopes to turn things around on a five-game homestand that starts tonight against the Canucks. The Avalanche have dropped three straight in Denver, but still have a respectable 10-6-2 record on home ice this year.

The Canucks, who are 10-5-3 as the guest this year, began a three-game road trip with Friday's victory in Dallas. Vancouver has won six of its last seven as the visiting team and will close out this current swing tomorrow night in San Jose.

Cory Schneider gave Roberto Luongo a rare night off on Friday and the backup shined with a 44-save performance to lead Vancouver to the 4-1 victory at Dallas' American Airlines Center.

Schneider, who is 6-0-2 on the year, made the start despite the fact that Luongo was able to rejoin the team in Dallas after he had returned to his home in Florida to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.

Luongo should get the call in net tonight and has a 12-15-4 record and a 2.90 goals-against average in 31 career games against Colorado.

Kevin Bieksa, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks in the win on New Year's Eve. Raffi Torres also added a goal for the victors.

Henrik Sedin carries a five-game point streak into tonight's tilt. He has three goals and nine assists during the run.