|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Colorado Avalanche, missing their leading
scorer most of the game, were able to hold off the Los Angeles
Kings – barely.
|  | | Colorado's Ville Nieminen trips over Bryan Smolinski in the first period. |
Milan Hejduk had a goal and two assists, and Peter Forsberg
added a goal and an assist as Colorado edged Los Angeles 4-3 Monday
night.
The victory gave Colorado a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven
Western Conference semifinal, which resumes Wednesday in Los
Angeles.
The Avalanche, who lost captain Joe Sakic to a shoulder injury
in the opening period, twice led by two goals in the third only to
see the Kings narrow the gap both times, the last on Ziggy Palffy's
goal with 40 seconds remaining.
The Kings then continued their assault on Colorado goalie
Patrick Roy as the final seconds ticked off. Roy faced 14 shots in
the third period, as Colorado scored twice on just three shots
against Felix Potvin over the final 20 minutes.
"Everybody really stepped up after Joe was hurt; Patrick,
everybody," Colorado coach Bob Hartley said. "The X-rays on Joe's
shoulder were negative, only a bruise, so we'll reevaluate it in
the morning."
Rob Blake, booed by most in the sellout crowd of 18,478 in his
first game back since the Kings traded him to Colorado, opened the
scoring on a 65-foot slap shot that somehow slipped past Potvin
just 4:33 into the game.
"I thought our first goal was a gift," Hartley said. "That
was a key, quieted the crowd."
After Forsberg snapped a 1-1 tie midway through the second
period, Hejduk made it 3-1 at 8:21 of the third period.
Glen Murray scored for the Kings on a power play 1:39 later.
Defenseman Jon Klemm restored Colorado's two-goal pad, which
proved to be just enough, when he scored 34 seconds later.
"We were fortunate," Blake said. "We saw L.A. play Detroit
and we saw the pressure the fans put on you in this building. We
wanted to come out and get the jump on them. My goal was a
fortunate goal, but we'll take it."
Luc Robitaille had a goal and an assist for Los Angeles, which
scored its first two goals on the power play.
"I think it's tough for both teams 5-on-5 to get shots now,"
Los Angeles coach Andy Murray said. "Both teams are physically
assertive and it's tough to find space.
"It's an interesting series. I thought that the first game, in
their building, they probably deserved to win. The second could
have gone either way, and I think we deserved to win tonight."
The Kings won the opener 4-3 in overtime, and the Avalanche took
the second game 2-0.
Klemm's first goal of the playoffs came after the puck bounced
off the skate of Kings defenseman Mattias Norstrom in the crease
and straight to Klemm.
Murray chipped a backhander past Roy for his third playoff goal.
Hejduk scored his second goal of the postseason at the end of a
2-on-1 with Forsberg, after Forsberg put Colorado ahead to stay
when he knocked in a rebound.
Roy faced 25 shots, and the Avalanche took 21 shots at Potvin.
Robitaille's third goal of the postseason and first of the
series came with the Kings holding a two-man advantage. Blake was
whistled for roughing Scott Thomas and Adam Foote drew a holding
call, and Los Angeles cashed in with 39 seconds left on the 5-on-3
and 3:43 remaining in the first period.
Blake's weird goal, also his third of the postseason, came on a
long shot that he didn't even seem to hit cleanly. At first, Potvin
dropped to his knees and appeared to have squeezed the puck between
his pads, but it squirted behind him and rolled across the line.
Sakic, the NHL's second-leading scorer this year with 54 goals
and 64 assists, was sidelined after five shifts in the first period
and did not return.
"My shoulder went into the glass and it hurt right away," he
said. "It's very frustrating. But I don't think it's too bad, so
hopefully I'll be able to go next game."
Sakic also was hurt in Game 2, having to be stitched up between
periods to close a wound caused by a Kings player's skate.
Blake, the 1998 Norris Trophy winner as the league's best
defenseman, was traded to Colorado on Feb. 21 along with rookie
Steven Reinprecht. The Kings received right wing Adam Deadmarsh --
who had two winning goals and assisted on another game-winner in
Los Angeles' first-round victory over Detroit -- defenseman Adam
Miller and a first-round draft pick.
Game notes
Potvin, acquired from Vancouver on Feb. 15, and Blake were
teammates in Los Angeles for a week before the Kings' trade with
Colorado. ... The Kings had a projected deficit of $5 million this
year, but they can at least break even if they make it to the
conference finals. ... Colorado LW Dave Reid sustained a broken jaw
in Saturday's game and underwent surgery that night. He hoped to
play in Game 3, but had to be scratched.
 Send this story to a friend
|
|
ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
Los Angeles Clubhouse
Kings-Avalanche Series Page
RECAPS
Buffalo 4
Pittsburgh 1
Colorado 4
Los Angeles 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Peter Forsberg finds Milan Hejduk, who beats Felix Potvin for a Colorado score.
avi: 1156 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
Rob Blake trickles a slap shot through the pads of Felix Potvin for an Avalanche goal.
avi: 1316 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
Luc Robitaille redirects the pass from Ziggy Palffy into the net for a Kings goal.
avi: 1353 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
Bryan Smolinski feeds Glen Murray in front of the net for a power-play goal.
avi: 879 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
Peter Forsberg puts the Milan Hejduk rebound past a fallen Felix Potvin for a score.
avi: 1946 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
 Peter Forsberg says the first 10 minutes were important for the Avalanche in Game 3 against the Kings.
wav: 241 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
