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Avalanche mired in four-game skid

Jan 5, 2008 - 2:49 PM NY Islanders (20-16-3) at Colorado (21-16-3) 9:00 pm EST

DENVER (Ticker) - The Colorado Avalanche try to avoid their first five-game skid in nearly a decade when they host the New York Islanders on Saturday.

The Avalanche have not lost five in a row since March 30 - April 11, 1998.

While Colorado owns one of the better home records at 15-6-0, the team is missing the veteran presence of center Joe Sakic, who is out indefinitely after hernia surgery.

To make matters worse, center Paul Stastny has not scored in seven games and right wing Milan Hejduk has not recorded a point in the last four games.

Also working against Colorado is the fact that Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro appears healthy. The six-year veteran returned from a knee injury on Thursday to stop 28 of 32 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to Florida.

DiPietro wore new white pads for warmups and the first period Thursday but was told by officials before the second that he couldn't use them for the rest of the game.

It was unclear whether the league had approved the pads for competition.

The pads were confiscated and DiPietro was facing a potential two-game suspension. But the Islanders confirmed Friday that the pads have been approved and will be with DiPietro on Saturday.

Bill Guerin has scored in six straight games for New York, which has won five of its last seven.