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NEW YORK (AP) -- Joe Sakic isn't the least bit fazed that
November has ended.
Sakic, the NHL's player of the month for November, scored a
power-play goal with 4:32 remaining and had two assists to lead the
Colorado Avalanche to a 6-3 victory Sunday night over the New York
Rangers.
|  | | Peter Forsberg (21) beats Rangers goalie Mike Richter for a third-period score. Forsberg returned to the Avs after missing eight games with a rib injury. |
Sakic, who in 1997 signed an offer sheet to come to the Rangers
that was matched by the Avalanche, showed no mercy on New York.
After recording nine goals and 13 assists in November, Sakic has
three goals and three assists in two December games.
"I just tried to fire it on net," Sakic said of the
game-winner. "It went off the post and off his (goalie Mike
Richter) back. It's one of those lucky goals."
The score came 29 seconds after Theo Fleury was called for
tripping Avalanche defenseman Jon Klemm. Fleury was moved down to
New York's fourth line earlier this season for taking similar
costly penalties late in the game.
"I guess I let my teammates down, I let the coaching staff
down," said Fleury, who has a team-high 17 goals. "It was a bad
penalty to take and no one feels worse than I do right now."
Colorado, which has a league-high 41 points, has won 30 of 34
games and 16 of 19 on the road, dating to last season. The
Avalanche have beaten the Rangers at Madison Square Garden three
straight times.
"We took advantage of their undisciplined play in the third
period, that was the difference," coach Bob Hartley said.
Ray Bourque had two assists and scored a short-handed goal into
an empty net with 38.6 left to seal it. Shjon Podein also scored an
empty-netter.
Peter Forsberg, who returned after missing eight games with a
rib injury, tied it just 1:11 after Mike York gave New York a 3-2
lead with a short-handed goal.
Forsberg also had a goal and two assists, including setting up
the game-winner.
"It's getting better and better, of course, it's hard to be
injured all the time," Forsberg said. "I've just got to come back
and it's great that the team is winning all the games."
Richter stopped Chris Drury's shot, but left the rebound in
front for Forsberg, who poked a back-hander past Richter
The Avalanche held a 32-24 advantage in shots.
The Rangers, who lost their third straight, turned up their play
early in the second period after recording only four first-period
shots.
Petr Nedved tied it at 1 with his eighth goal 2:19 into the
period. Radek Dvorak made a pass into the left circle to Jan
Hlavac, who got the puck to Nedved in the slot for a shot between
Patrick Roy's pads.
Nedved has scored in two straight home games after not recording
a goal in 17 Garden contests.
The Czechmates line connected again 70 seconds later, this time
on Dvorak's sixth goal. Hlavac gave Nedved the puck inside the
Colorado zone. Nedved made a nice pass into the slot to Dvorak for
a slap shot past Roy.
The Avalanche got even 1:02 later when defenseman Martin Skoula
ripped a slap shot from the top of the right circle that beat
Richter on the power play for his second goal this season.
New York nearly regained the lead, but Kim Johnsson's hard shot
from the Colorado blue line rang off the left post 7:46 into the
second.
Alex Tanguay, who has points in 13 of 14 games, including an
NHL-best 11-game streak, gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 9:32 of the
first period with his 10th goal. Rangers forward Valeri Kamensky
made an errant drop pass at the Avalanche blue line.
The Avalanche moved up ice and Tanguay gave the puck to Sakic at
the Rangers' line and went to the net. Sakic threaded a pass back
to Tanguay, who skated across the goal mouth and put the puck
behind Richter.
"We're playing well and reading off of one another well,"
Sakic said of his line. "We're moving the puck quick and we're
getting chances. Right now, everything seems to be going in."
Game notes
Nedved, who played in his 600th NHL game, has scored in
three of four games. In the last 16 games, the line of Dvorak,
Nedved and Hlavac has 15 goals and 27 assists. ... Tanguay has
seven goals and 14 assists in the last 14 games. ... Sakic has
multipoint games in nine of 13 contests. ... The Rangers, who have
the league's top power-play unit, tied Phoenix with a league-high
six short-handed goals. Fleury has five.
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NHL Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
NY Rangers Clubhouse
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New Jersey 1
NY Islanders 1
Ottawa 2
Carolina 0
Colorado 6
NY Rangers 3
Anaheim 4
Los Angeles 0
Chicago 5
Columbus 0
San Jose 3
Edmonton 3
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