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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Colorado coach Bob Hartley, like many others
around the NHL, has watched Patrick Roy perform his stick-and-glove
magic for years.
Hartley still was amazed by the Avalanche goalie's performance
in a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.
|  | | Colorado's Patrick Roy, right, made 21 saves to extend his league playoff wins record to 128. |
"Unbelievable is the only word. Patrick put on a performance
very few goalies in this league are able to do," Hartley said
after Roy's second shutout in three games gave Colorado a 3-1 lead
in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal.
The win also extended his NHL record to 17 playoff shutouts.
Roy, the league's winningest goalie in the regular season and
playoffs, stopped 21 shots including several spectacular saves in
the first period when the Kings swarmed the Avalanche net with 10
shots.
He blocked three shots in rapid succession midway through the
period, finally smothering the puck as players from both teams
tumbled onto him.
"If it weren't for Patrick, we could have headed back to the
hotel after the first period," Hartley said.
Former Kings defenseman Rob Blake, said, "Patrick held them
off. He's amazing. We know he's going to give us the opportunity to
win."
Los Angeles coach Andy Murray was disappointed by the squandered
chances.
"We played pretty hard the first period, had a lot of good
chances, but we didn't score, so somebody didn't hit the puck hard
enough," Murray said. "We came back in the second and made a few
mistakes and they capitalized.
"We've got certain guys who are paid to score and we've had two
shutouts. That shouldn't happen."
Alex Tanguay and Milan Hejduk each had a goal and an assist as
the Avalanche moved into position to close out the series with a
Game 5 win Friday in Denver.
Colorado, with captain and leading scorer Joe Sakic out with a
shoulder injury, did all its scoring in the second period.
Like a skilled counterpuncher, the Avalanche absorbed Los
Angeles' early assault, then went on the attack.
Colorado managed only three shots in the first 20 minutes, but
Tanguay, left alone just to the right of the crease, scored 3:55
into the second on the Avalanche's sixth shot against Felix Potvin.
Hejduk made it 2-0 on a power play with 3:33 left in the period
and Chris Drury scored just 1:46 later.
Efficient with their shots, the Avalanche scored on three of
nine against Potvin in the period. They finished with 21 shots
against him.
"We had a real strong first period and didn't follow that up
and you can't do that against good teams like Colorado," Potvin
said.
The Kings pulled Potvin for an extra skater with four minutes
remaining, but still couldn't avoid the shutout.
Tanguay's second goal of the playoffs and second in as many
games came after Hejduk spotted him alone near the crease and fired
a long pass to him.
Tanguay hesitated, then as Los Angeles defenseman Jere Karalahti
scrambled back into the crease, Tanguay flicked the puck across the
goalmouth and it hit Karalahti's skate and went into the net.
Hejduk scored his third goal of the postseason when he tipped a
long shot by Jon Klemm and the puck sailed past Potvin.
Drury added his sixth goal of the playoffs when he broke free
down the right side, sliced across the crease and wristed a shot
past Potvin on the glove side.
Roy ran his league playoff wins record to 128. His 484
regular-season victories are also the league's most.
Also during the first period, Los Angeles' Jozef Stumpel hit the
left post, teammate Ian Laperriere's shot from close range sailed
wide, and Mathieu Schneider's 25-foot slap shot from the left
circle hit Roy's chest.
Game notes
Sakic, who hurt his shoulder early in Game 3, is day to
day. ... After going 0-4 over the past two seasons in the Kings'
new home, the Avalanche have won two playoff games in three days.
... Los Angeles RW Kelly Buchberger missed his second consecutive
game with a leg injury. ... Colorado D Dave Reid didn't let a
broken jaw keep him out of action long. Reid, who had a titanium
plate inserted in his jaw after he was struck by a puck in Denver
in Saturday's game, missed Game 3 but was back on the ice Wednesday
night. He still can't eat solid food. ... Blake, traded by the
Kings earlier this season, left the ice limping late in the game
but said afterward that he was fine.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
Los Angeles Clubhouse
Kings-Avalanche Series Page
Sakic out of lineup for Game 4 with sore right shoulder
RECAPS
Buffalo 5
Pittsburgh 2
Colorado 3
Los Angeles 0
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Alex Tanguay is alone in front of the net and puts the puck in off the skate of Jere Karalahti for the 1-0 lead.
avi: 1521 k
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'Cable Modem
Milan Hejduk deflects the Jon Klemm shot into the back of the net for the 2-0 lead.
avi: 1821 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
Chris Drury creates the turnover and goes top shelf on Felix Potvin.
avi: 1704 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
 Alex Tanguay feels the Avalanche have the defensive team to win the Stanley Cup.
wav: 493 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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