Saturday, Feb. 10 8:30pm ET
Avalanche lose fourth straight game
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BOX SCORE
DENVER (AP) – Having battled Colorado all season for bragging
rights as the NHL's best team, the St. Louis Blues got a major jolt
of confidence by proving they can, at last, win on Avalanche ice.
St. Louis had been winless in Colorado for eight straight games
(0-6-2), and hadn't won here since Dec. 6, 1996.
|  | | Goalie Brent Johnson made 34 saves in the Blues' win over the Avalanche on Saturday. |
Saturday night, Daniel Corso put a rebound past Patrick Roy with
4:10 left in overtime, lifting the Blues to a 4-3 win and handing
the Avalanche their fourth straight loss.
Corso's shot from just right of the net deflected off Roy,
enabling the Blues to tie Colorado for the league's best record.
Both teams have 80 points.
"This was huge for us," Blues coach Joel Quenneville said.
"For most of these guys, it's the first time they have won here. I
didn't know if we were ever going to win here.
"We take this as a gigantic two points for us. Tonight is as
good as it gets."
Corso insisted his winner was "not a nice goal, but I'll take
it. Usually a nice goal is top shelf. I went into the corner with
(Peter) Forsberg and I saw my wing, Jamal Mayers, get the puck and
I just got the rebound between the legs of Patrick."
St. Louis goaltender Brent Johnson had 34 saves, and Roy had 28.
The Blues trailed before Craig Conroy made it 3-3 at 3:47 of the
third period, scoring from the left circle on a 2-on-1.
Colorado had a goal taken away moments later when referee Don
Van Massenhoven ruled Dan Hinote was in the crease and interfering
with Johnson.
"That's a totally blown call," Avalanche coach Bob Hartley
said. "I don't know what their reason was, and I don't want to
know. There is no reason in the rulebook. With the right call on
the disallowed goal, we win this game."
Roy was disconsolate after the loss.
"I made the first save and then the guy (Corso) was right there
for the rebound," Roy said. "I think it just slid under my pad
and went in.
"I think I want to be too perfect. I think it's a matter of we
had lost three in a row and putting extra pressure on myself to
stop that streak. I think it's time for me to relax a little bit."
Pavol Demitra, the Blues' fourth-leading scorer, left the game
late in the third period after suffering what was believed to be a
deep cut on the back of his right knee from Alex Tanguay's skate.
He was taken to a Denver hospital for treatment.
Tanguay scored the only goal of the first period. Jon Klemm's
shot from the right point ricocheted in front, and Tanguay put the
rebound past Johnson from the slot for his 21st goal.
St. Louis scored two goals just nine seconds apart early in the
second period, but Colorado countered with two scores to take a 3-2
lead into the final period.
Scott Young got his 27th goal from just inside the right circle,
at 7:26. Mayers then put a long shot past Roy from the right point
at 7:35. It was the fastest that two goals ever against the
Avalanche.
When the Blues' Darren Rumble and Todd Reirden both went off on
penalties, Colorado had a 5-on-3 advantage for 20 seconds and
Forsberg converted. Forsberg's shot from right of the goal
deflected off Demitra's skate past Johnson.
Joe Sakic's 32nd goal, on a power play, made it 3-2 with 23
seconds left in the second period. Forsberg kept the puck alive
behind the net and reversed direction back to Sakic, who scored
from a tough angle left of the goal.
Game notes
Veteran wing Scott Mellanby, acquired by the Blues from
Florida on Friday, did not play because of the flu. ... St. Louis
defensemen Peter Smrek and Dale Clarke made their NHL debuts. ...
Colorado has lost four straight games for the first time since a
four-game slide that opened the 1998-99 season. ... Johnson was an
Avs draft pick in 1995. ... Colorado leaves on a four-game,
Eastern-Conference road trip beginning Tuesday in Montreal.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
St. Louis Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
RECAPS
Pittsburgh 5
New Jersey 4
Florida 7
Atlanta 3
Boston 6
Tampa Bay 2
Montreal 5
NY Islanders 3
Buffalo 2
Ottawa 1
Detroit 3
Toronto 3
Columbus 3
Nashville 2
St. Louis 4
Colorado 3
Calgary 4
Vancouver 1
Washington 4
Los Angeles 3
San Jose 3
Chicago 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The Blues' Daniel Corso beats Patrick Roy for the game-winning goal in overtime.
avi: 1770 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Peter Forsberg sets up Joe Sakic with a beautiful assist late in the second period.
avi: 1250 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Scott Young and Jamal Mayers score nine seconds apart to put the Blues ahead.
avi: 2150 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Colorado's Alex Tanguay puts the rebound past Brent Johnson for the goal.
avi: 1040 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Patrick Roy fools ESPN's Jack Edwards with a spectacular save against Ladislav Nagy.
avi: 1160 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Goalie Brent Johnson talks with the National Hockey Night crew after the Blues' overtime victory.
wav: 613 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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Chris Pronger Official Site
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