Vancouver Canucks at Colorado Avalanche


DENVER -- Red-hot Peter Forsberg had a goal and two assists, and Claude Lemieux scored twice as the Colorado Avalanche continued their mastery over the reeling Vancouver Canucks with a 4-2 victory Tuesday night.

Colorado has won all five meetings with Vancouver this season by a combined score of 28-7.

Stephane Yelle also scored for the Avalanche, who have won three straight and improved their league-best home record to 24-7-5.

Forsberg has eight goals and nine assists during a nine-game points streak.

"He's the best all-around player I've played with," Lemieux said of Forsberg. "I mean no disrespect to other guys I've played with. They're great players, but he's just a step above everybody.

"He's in a superstar class already. It's fun to play with a guy like that."

Forsberg seems finally to have returned to form after missing 17 games because of a severe thigh bruise that required surgery Dec. 28.

"He's playing well right now," Avalanche coach Marc Crawford said. "If his linemates get to the pace he's at, they could be scary."

Patrick Roy made 21 saves for his 35th victory, tying him with Buffalo's Dominik Hasek for the league lead.

Gino Odjick and Mike Ridley scored for Vancouver, which dropped to 1-6-2 in its last nine games. The Canucks are 10th in the Western Conference, six points out of the final playoff spot.

"I think if we had all our horses it would've been a different game," Canucks goalie Corey Hirsch said. "Guys worked real hard tonight but we still gave up too many three-on-two breaks. This road trip was tough, we played some of the best teams in the league. We have to win every game now."

Lemieux's first goal of the game and 10th of the season, a power-play tally with 7:07 left in the second period, extended Colorado's lead to 3-1. Hirsch stopped Valeri Kamensky's shot, but Lemieux banged in the rebound from the left doorstep.

Ridley's 20th goal drew the Cancuks within 3-2 with 1:34 remaining in the second. Stationed to the right of the goal, Ridley deflected Dave Babych's point shot over Roy's left shoulder.

Lemieux's second goal with 5:06 to play capped the scoring. With his back to the play, Forsberg slid a backhanded pass into the high slot to Lemieux, who ripped a one-timer on net. Hirsch got a piece of the shot, but the puck trickled into the goal.

"We like to make the play often, Peter likes to make those types of plays, that's his strength, he always makes things happen in a different way," Lemieux said.

Forsberg intercepted Bret Hedican's poor clearing pass and poked his own rebound past Hirsch 2:48 into the game to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead. Yelle's eighth goal, with 2:24 left in the first, made it 2-0.

Odjick tallied his fifth goal 40 seconds later to draw the Canucks within one.



Jon's 3 stars:

1. Peter Forsberg
2. Claude Lemieux
3. Mike Ridley



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