GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: MINNESOTA (7-3) at COLORADO (6-4)

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2
2ND PRD: COL - MAREK SVATOS 5 (RYAN SMYTH, JOE SAKIC) 15:30</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2 3:23 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 1 0 1
COLORADO 1 1 2 END OF THE 2ND

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: COL - RYAN SMYTH 5 (JOE SAKIC) 8:29
MIN - (PP) ERIC BELANGER 4 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, KURTIS
FOSTER) 15:42
2ND PRD: COL - MAREK SVATOS 5 (RYAN SMYTH, JOE SAKIC) 15:30

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MIN 10 5 15
COL 11 14 25

GOALIES: MIN - JOSH HARDING
COL - PETER BUDAJ</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">------------------------------
Minnesota 1 0 --1
Colorado 1 1 --2
------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Colorado, Ryan Smyth 5 (Joe Sakic), 8:29.
2, Minnesota, Eric Belanger 4 (power play) (Pierre-Marc Bouchard,
Kurtis Foster), 15:42. Penalties: R Smyth, Col (tripping), 1:17; J
Finger, Col (hooking), 15:14.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Colorado, Marek Svatos 5 (Ryan Smyth, Joe
Sakic), 15:30. Penalties: B Rolston, Min (hooking), 4:44.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------
Minnesota 10 5 --15
Colorado 11 14 --25
----------------------------------

Goalies : Minnesota, Josh Harding (25 shots, 23 saves). Colorado,
Peter Budaj (15 shots, 14 saves). Referees: Dennis Larue, Kevin
Pollock. Linesmen: Lonnie Cameron, Mark Wheeler.</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2 19:55 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2 16:52 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2 13:16 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2 12:04 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2 6:40 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2 5:40 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2 3:11 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 2 2:02 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 3
3RD PRD: COL - (PP) WOJTEK WOLSKI 4 (PAUL STASTNY, ANDREW BRUNETTE)
19:23</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 1 0 0 1
COLORADO 1 1 1 3 FINAL

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: COL - RYAN SMYTH 5 (JOE SAKIC) 8:29
MIN - (PP) ERIC BELANGER 4 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, KURTIS
FOSTER) 15:42
2ND PRD: COL - MAREK SVATOS 5 (RYAN SMYTH, JOE SAKIC) 15:30
3RD PRD: COL - (PP) WOJTEK WOLSKI 4 (PAUL STASTNY, ANDREW BRUNETTE)
19:23

POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: MIN - 1 OF 3, COL - 1 OF 3.

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MIN 10 5 7 22
COL 11 14 5 30

GOALIES: MIN - JOSH HARDING
COL - PETER BUDAJ

OFFICIALS: REF - DENNIS LARUE, KEVIN POLLOCK
LIN - LONNIE CAMERON, MARK WHEELER

ATT: NA</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">------------------------------------
Minnesota 1 0 0 --1
Colorado 1 1 1 --3
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Colorado, Ryan Smyth 5 (Joe Sakic), 8:29.
2, Minnesota, Eric Belanger 4 (power play) (Pierre-Marc Bouchard,
Kurtis Foster), 15:42. Penalties: R Smyth, Col (tripping), 1:17; J
Finger, Col (hooking), 15:14.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Colorado, Marek Svatos 5 (Ryan Smyth, Joe
Sakic), 15:30. Penalties: B Rolston, Min (hooking), 4:44.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Colorado, Wojtek Wolski 4 (power play)
(Paul Stastny, Andrew Brunette), 19:23. Penalties: K Cumiskey, Col
(holding), 6:55; B Burns, Min (delay of game), 13:31; Bench, Min (too
many men served by J Sheppard), 17:44.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Minnesota 10 5 7 --22
Colorado 11 14 5 --30
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Minnesota - 1 of 3, Colorado - 1 of 3. Goalies
: Minnesota, Josh Harding (30 shots, 27 saves; record: 2-1-1).
Colorado, Peter Budaj (22 shots, 21 saves; record: 5-2-0). A: NA.
Referees: Dennis Larue, Kevin Pollock. Linesmen: Lonnie Cameron, Mark
Wheeler.</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">NHL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 1 0 0 1
COLORADO 1 1 1 3 FINAL

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: COL - RYAN SMYTH 5 (JOE SAKIC) 8:29
MIN - (PP) ERIC BELANGER 4 (PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, KURTIS
FOSTER) 15:42
2ND PRD: COL - MAREK SVATOS 5 (RYAN SMYTH, JOE SAKIC) 15:30
3RD PRD: COL - (PP) WOJTEK WOLSKI 4 (PAUL STASTNY, ANDREW BRUNETTE)
19:23

POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: MIN - 1 OF 3, COL - 1 OF 3.

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MIN 10 5 7 22
COL 11 14 5 30

GOALIES: MIN - JOSH HARDING
COL - PETER BUDAJ

OFFICIALS: REF - DENNIS LARUE, KEVIN POLLOCK
LIN - LONNIE CAMERON, MARK WHEELER

ATT: 17,041</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NHL
MINNESOTA 1
COLORADO 3</div>

 

By Dave Reed
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


DENVER (Ticker) -- The last time the Colorado Avalanche got offto a start like this at home, the franchise wasn't even locatedin America.


Marek Svatos broke a tie in the second period, leading theAvalanche to a 3-1 victory on Sunday over the Minnesota Wild.

With the win, Colorado improved to 5-0 at the Pepsi Center thisseason, the team's best start at home since they were still theQuebec Nordiques and started 6-0 during the 1994-95 season at LeColisee in Quebec City.


Svatos snapped a 1-1 tie at the 15:30 mark of the second periodwhen he backhanded a bouncing puck off Wild goaltender JoshHarding from outside the left goalpost.


Colorado captain Joe Sakic started the play when he sent abackhand pass from behind the right post to Ryan Smyth, who wasable to get enough of his stick on the puck to move it acrossthe crease.


Sakic extended his point and assist streak to five games, as the38-year-old center has collected a goal and seven assists overthat stretch. He has 33 career points against the Wild, thesecond-most of any player in the NHL behind Calgary's JaromeIginla with 39.


Colorado added an insurance goal on the power play at 19:23 ofthe final period when left wing Wojtek Wolski took a nicelyplaced pass from right wing Paul Stastny and flipped a wristshot past Harding, giving the Avalanche a 3-1 lead.

Smyth put the Avalanche on the board 8:29 into the first periodwhen he worked a give-and-go with Sakic to perfection.

Smyth took the puck off the left board in the neutral zone andsent a cross-ice pass to Sakic on the right side. Sakic heldthe puck long enough to allow Smyth to drive to the left post,then sent a return pass through the legs of defenseman KurtisFoster to Smyth, who directed the puck past Harding low on theglove side.


Minnesota tied the game with 4:18 left in the first period onits second power play.


Pierre-Marc Bouchard took a pass from Foster into the leftcorner, then passed to Eric Belanger in the slot, who beatAvalanche netminder Peter Budaj with a wrist shot high on theglove side just inside the right post.


Colorado had killed off 10 consecutive penalties and 30 of itslast 32 before Belanger's goal, all of which was aided by thesolid play in net by Budaj, who stopped 21 shots.

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">------------------------------------
Minnesota 1 0 0 --1
Colorado 1 1 1 --3
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Colorado, Ryan Smyth 5 (Joe Sakic), 8:29.
2, Minnesota, Eric Belanger 4 (power play) (Pierre-Marc Bouchard,
Kurtis Foster), 15:42. Penalties: R Smyth, Col (tripping), 1:17; J
Finger, Col (hooking), 15:13.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Colorado, Marek Svatos 5 (Ryan Smyth, Joe
Sakic), 15:30. Penalties: B Rolston, Min (hooking), 4:44.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Colorado, Wojtek Wolski 4 (power play)
(Paul Stastny, Andrew Brunette), 19:23. Penalties: K Cumiskey, Col
(holding), 6:55; B Burns, Min (delay of game), 13:31; Bench, Min (too
many men served by J Sheppard), 17:44.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Minnesota 10 5 7 --22
Colorado 11 14 5 --30
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Minnesota - 1 of 3, Colorado - 1 of 3. Goalies
: Minnesota, Josh Harding (30 shots, 27 saves; record: 2-1-1).
Colorado, Peter Budaj (22 shots, 21 saves; record: 5-2-0). A: 17,041.
Referees: Dennis Larue, Kevin Pollock. Linesmen: Lonnie Cameron, Mark
Wheeler.</div>

 

NHL: MINNESOTA at COLORADO

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------
MINNESOTA 1 0 0 --1
COLORADO 1 1 1 --3
-----------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Colorado, Ryan Smyth 5 (Joe Sakic), 8:29.
2, Minnesota, Eric Belanger 4 (power play) (Pierre-Marc Bouchard,
Kurtis Foster), 15:42. Penalties: R Smyth, Col (tripping), 1:17; J
Finger, Col (hooking), 15:13.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Colorado, Marek Svatos 5 (Ryan Smyth, Joe
Sakic), 15:30. Penalties: B Rolston, Min (hooking), 4:44.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Colorado, Wojtek Wolski 4 (power play)
(Paul Stastny, Andrew Brunette), 19:23. Penalties: K Cumiskey, Col
(holding), 6:55; B Burns, Min (delay of game), 13:31; Bench, Min (too
many men served by J Sheppard), 17:44.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------------
MINNESOTA 10 5 7 --22
COLORADO 11 14 5 --30
----------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: MIN - 1 of 3, COL - 1 of 3. Goalies :
Minnesota, Josh Harding (30 shots, 27 saves; record: 2-1-1). Colorado,
Peter Budaj (22 shots, 21 saves; record: 5-2-0). A: 17,041. Referees:
Dennis Larue, Kevin Pollock. Linesmen: Lonnie Cameron, Mark Wheeler.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

MINNESOTA COLORADO
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
B Rolston 0 0 even 4 W Smith 0 0 even 2
S Veilleux 0 0 -1 4 I Laperriere 0 0 even 0
M Parrish 0 0 -1 0 A Brunette 0 1 even 1
C Clutterbuck 0 0 even 0 J Hlinka 0 0 even 4
D Boogaard 0 0 even 0 J Sakic 0 2 +2 1
E Belanger 1 0 -1 2 S Hannan 0 0 even 1
K Foster 0 1 even 0 P Stastny 0 1 even 2
P Nummelin 0 0 even 4 S Parker 0 0 even 0
W Walz 0 0 even 0 B Guite 0 0 even 1
M Skoula 0 0 -2 0 K Sauer 0 0 +1 1
K Johnsson 0 0 even 0 T Arnason 0 0 even 1
N Schultz 0 0 even 2 J Liles 0 0 +1 1
J Sheppard 0 0 even 0 M Svatos 1 0 +2 1
B Burns 0 0 -2 0 K Cumiskey 0 0 even 0
M Foy 0 0 even 0 B Clark 0 0 +1 1
M Koivu 0 0 -1 6 J Finger 0 0 +1 5
B Radivojevic 0 0 -1 0 W Wolski 1 0 even 3
P Bouchard 0 1 -1 0 R Smyth 1 1 +2 5
K Carney HEALTHY M Hejduk BACK INJURY
P Demitra GROIN J Jillson HEALTHY
M Gaborik GROIN
N Backstrom GROIN</div>