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BOX SCORE
DENVER (AP) – With 10-to-12 games remaining in the regular
season for most teams, players have begun perusing the standings
with renewed interest.
The Colorado Avalanche, who held off the Detroit Red Wings 5-3
on Saturday, have become avid readers.
|  | | Shjon Podein's goal late in the third period gave the Avs a 4-2 lead, ensuring a win over the rival Red Wings. |
Shjon Podein and Ray Bourque scored goals in the final 2:27 in a
matchup of the NHL's two best teams.
With the win, Colorado extended its lead over Detroit to six
points (103-97) in the race for the league's top record and
home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
"Everyone understood the importance of this game," Avalanche
coach Bob Hartley said. "The players know what is at stake. They
look at the standings every day. We understand the importance of
getting as many wins as possible right now.
"If we can secure first place with a couple of games left, then
maybe we can rest some of our key people. But there are still too
many games to think about this yet."
Avalanche captain Joe Sakic agreed.
"It was a huge game, obviously, for both teams," Sakic said.
"This win puts us six points ahead of them with a couple of games
in hand. So it gives us some breathing room."
The two teams will meet once more, on April 7 in Detroit.
Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy, who was pulled midway through
the second period after allowing five goals in Colorado's 6-3 loss
to New Jersey on Tuesday, had 23 saves, as did Detroit's Chris
Osgood.
"We had a bad start," said Detroit coach Scotty Bowman, whose
team fell behind 3-0 in the second period. "We didn't have any
scoring chances until we got the power-play goal at the end of the
second period. I was surprised we could generate as many chances in
the third period as we did.
"You can come back, but you have to be pretty lucky to win a
game in one period."
According to Osgood, the Wings played "our worst two periods of
the year" in the first and second periods.
"You spot Colorado a 3-0 lead, the chances of coming back are
pretty much zero," Osgood said. "Still, we did a good job to come
back. We were scared of getting blown out."
Defenseman Jiri Fischer cut Colorado's lead to 3-2 early in the
third period, scoring his first NHL goal on a rebound of Vyacheslav
Kozlov's shot.
Podein then jammed the puck past Osgood at 17:33. But Colorado's
seemingly secure advantage was erased 35 seconds later when Pat
Verbeek scored after knocking the puck out of the air in front of
the goal.
The Red Wings pulled Osgood with a minute remaining, but Bourque
scored into an empty net at 19:42.
Of his crucial goal, Podein said Steven Reinprecht "made a
great play coming out of the corner. He danced one guy, gave it to
Devo (Greg de Vries), and Devo had a good shot. I just tried to
throw it on the net and luckily it found a hole."
Podein added that "from beginning to end, this is about as
close as you can get to playoff intensity in the regular season."
Colorado, 9-1-1-2 in its last 13 games, outshot Detroit 12-6 in
a first period that saw several skirmishes between the bitter
rivals and three penalties assessed against each team.
Sakic scored the only goal of the period, and it came just 14
seconds into the game. Bourque passed from the left boards across
the ice to a streaking Sakic, who outskated Chris Chelios and beat
Osgood from the right circle for his 42nd goal.
The Avalanche went ahead 3-0 in the second period before
Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom made it 3-1 on a power-play goal from
the slot with 5.6 seconds left in the period.
Bowman said Lidstrom's goal "gave us some life."
Colorado's Ville Nieminen scored at the end of a 4-on-1 rush at
2:08 of the period, taking a pass in the crease from Peter
Forsberg.
Milan Hejduk added his 38th goal, a short-handed score, at
14:23. He scored from the slot on a pass from Reinprecht.
Game notes
Defenseman Adam Foote, sidelined since Jan. 4 with a
separated right shoulder, participated in his first full-contact
practice with the Avs on Friday. He could return in 7-to-10 days.
... Sakic's goal was the fastest Colorado goal to start a game this
season, but shy of the franchise record of nine seconds. ...
Detroit came into the game as one of the NHL's hottest teams and
despite the loss is 15-3-5-0 in its last 23 games. ... The Red
Wings beat Colorado in their two previous meetings this season. ...
Fischer's goal was the first in 98 games for the second-year pro.
... Bourque's goal ended a 29-game scoring drought.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
RECAPS
Colorado 5
Detroit 3
Los Angeles 1
San Jose 0
Philadelphia 2
NY Rangers 1
Toronto 5
Florida 3
Boston 3
Montreal 2
Buffalo 3
Washington 2
NY Islanders 3
Columbus 3
Tampa Bay 5
Pittsburgh 1
Nashville 4
Phoenix 1
St. Louis 2
Calgary 2
New Jersey 6
Edmonton 5
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Shjon Podein puts the puck between Chris Osgood's pad and the post for a score.
avi: 1069 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Steve Reinprecht passes behind Chris Osgood to Milan Hejduk for a score.
avi: 1113 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Pat Verbeek puts a rebound past Patrick Roy for a Detroit goal.
avi: 756 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Peter Forsberg feeds Ville Nieminen to finish off the 4-on-1 for the Avalanche.
avi: 1021 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Nicklas Lidstrom scores a power-play goal to get Detroit on the board.
avi: 1008 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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