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BOX SCORE
DENVER (AP) -- Milan Hejduk has had some magical moments in only
his second season in the NHL. For the second straight night, his
magic touch provided the winning score as the Colorado Avalanche topped the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1.
One day after beating the Dallas Stars with an overtime goal,
Hejduk got his 33rd goal of the year with 2:30 left in Monday
night's game.
| | Colorado's Milan Hejduk is unable to reach the puck, thanks to Bryan McCabe's stickwork. |
"Milan has those magical hands with the quick release that
gives goaltenders trouble," Colorado coach Bob Hartley said. "He
has magic in his stick lately and everything he touches turns to
magic."
Hejduk had help from Joe Sakic, who extended his career-best
point streak to 13 games with a pair of assists. Sakic now has 16
goals and nine assists in his last 13 games.
"I think so far this year I'm playing more offensive than I
played last year," said Hejduk, who has four goals in his last
five games. "I'm playing with more confidence, for sure. When you
start to play better, you feel better."
Ray Bourque added his sixth goal since being acquired in a March
6 trade with the Boston Bruins. Dave Reid had an empty-net goal as
the Avalanche maintained a four-point lead in the Northwest
Division over Edmonton, a 2-1 winner at San Jose.
Steve Sullivan scored Chicago's lone goal. Steve Passmore
stopped 30 of 32 shots for the Blackhawks, 5-2-2 in their last nine
games.
"I thought Passmore was outstanding," Chicago coach Lorne
Molleken said. "He weathered the storm early, especially when
Colorado had the two early power plays."
Colorado outshot the Blackhawks 14-3 in the first period but
failed to get anything past Passmore. The Avalanche also didn't
convert two early power-play chances.
Passmore caught a break midway through the period when
Colorado's Martin Skoula hit the crossbar from the slot, but made
an acrobatic sliding save to deny Hejduk's backhanded attempt off
the rebound from close range. Patrick Roy faced little pressure
from Chicago.
Colorado led 1-0 after two periods, but the Blackhawks kept the
puck in the Avalanche zone in the first three minutes of the
period. Roy turned aside scoring chances by Dean McAmmond and
Jean-Yves Leroux.
Bourque broke the scoreless duel at 4:28 of the period with his
16th goal of the year. Sakic skated down the puck along the boards
and sent a cross ice pass to Bourque, who beat Passmore over his
left shoulder with a slap shot from the right circle.
"I wasn't sure if it went in. I knew where I was going with it,
but I didn't see it drop or really go in," Bourque said. "The
nets are so tight here that the puck goes in and out so quickly
that sometimes you don't know if you score or not."
Sullivan tied the game at 1-1 at 6:14 of the third period on a
great individual effort. Roy turned aside Sullivan's shot from the
lower right circle, but Sullivan skated down the puck behind the
net and, using Skoula as a screen, put a wraparound under Roy's
stick.
Colorado had a goal by Adam Deadmarsh disallowed at 11:35 when
Drury made contact with Passmore in the crease. Hejduk's
game-winner came at 17:30 on a blast from the slot after receiving
Sakic's pass from behind the net.
Reid's empty net goal came at 19:41.
"It's a big win for us, said Roy who had 16 saves in earning
his 441st career win. "I think we play with consistency every
night, but tonight I thought today we really dominated the game."
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Chicago Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
RECAPS
Buffalo 5 Carolina 1
Detroit 6 NY Rangers 0
Colorado 3 Chicago 1
Edmonton 2 San Jose 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
Milan Hejduk scores the game-winner.
avi: 781 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Ray Bourque blasts one past goalie Steve Passmore.
avi: 906 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Steve Sullivan scores on the wrap-around shot.
avi: 876 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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