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Sakic's shootout goal lifts Avalanche; Selanne nets 500th

Nov 23, 2006 - 5:15 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- Joe Sakic used to have plenty of trouble converting in shootouts, but not anymore.

Sakic scored the only goal of the shootout to lift the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.

The 2001 Hart Trophy winner, Sakic netted the game-winner when he streaked in and roofed a backhander past Anaheim goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

"This was a great game for us," said Sakic, whose club improved to 3-5-0 in its last eight games. "Obviously, it was a huge with for us. Anaheim is the best team in hockey and to find a way to win that game was huge."

Colorado's captain scored the shootout clincher with the exact same move in Saturday's 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild.

Sakic was 0-for-8 in shootouts before scoring on his last two attempts.

"He (Sakic) was really patient and I played him aggressive," Giguere said. "He just got the shot up quick and made it."

Anaheim netminder Jose Theodore preserved the victory when he denied Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, who tried to beat him between the pads.

"I always feel comfortable on breakaways," Theodore said. "For me to have success, I have to go out there and challenge, and just be patient and not make the first move, and that's pretty much what I did on all three guys."

Anaheim's Teemu Selanne scored his 500th career goal at 14:54 of the second period when his wrist shot beat Theodore.

"It is a big achievement," Selane said. "I'm not a big numbers guy, but obviously, 500 goals is a big number in this league. I've been very lucky to play with great players or this wouldn't be possible. I don't think about it much, but it is nice to get it behind me."

Despite the personal achievement, Selanne was not thrilled with his club's performance.

"We were terrible tonight, absolutely terrible," Selanne said of the Ducks, who fell to 2-1-2 in their last five games. "It almost would have been a crime to win tonight. You have to be happy with one point tonight.

"That was 30 minutes of the worst hockey I've been apart of in eight years here. The second half of the game was good tonight, and gave us a chance to win. We need to play a better sixty minutes, though."

Tyler Arnason and Brad Richardson scored for Colorado in regulation while Dustin Penner netted Anaheim's other goal.