Colorado Avalanche
    35-18-7
    1
    123T
    COL0101
    WSH2002
    Washington Capitals
    34-26-5
    2

    Avs lose second straight road game

    Updated: March 18, 2003

    WASHINGTON (AP) -- Two nights after the Washington Capitals gave

    up the Southeast Division lead, Sergei Berezin helped them inch

    their way back.

    Sergei Berezin, center, celebrates after his goal for his new team, the Capitals.
    Sergei Berezin, center, celebrates after his goal for his new team, the Capitals.

    Berezin had a goal and an assist to lead Washington past the

    Colorado Avalanche 2-1 Sunday, getting the Capitals to a point

    of Tampa Bay for the division lead. The Lightning moved into first

    when the Capitals lost at home to Los Angeles on Friday night.

    Acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline, Berezin has scored

    in his first two games with the Capitals, including what proved to

    be the game-winner Sunday with 3:16 left in the first period. The

    goals have been invaluable for the Capitals, who have played the

    past three games without the injured Jaromir Jagr.

    ''I'm not on fire. I am playing with one of the best centermen

    in the league, so that always makes it easier,'' Berezin said of

    his linemate Robert Lang, who assisted on Berezin's goal. ''He made

    a great play to give me an empty-netter. I don't get those often,

    but I will take 20 of them.''

    Sergei Gonchar scored the game's first goal during an aggressive

    first period in which the Capitals outshot Colorado 13-6. The

    defenseman knocked in a puck that deflected off Berezin's stick

    into the slot with just more than eight minutes left in the

    first.

    Joe Sakic scored for Colorado, which lost consecutive road games

    for the first time this season. The Avalanche remain four points

    behind Vancouver in the Northwest Division.

    ''It just shows how good we've been on the road, and it shows

    how disappointing this weekend has been,'' Avalanche coach Tony

    Granato said. ''There's 10 (games) to go, and there's no more time

    for back-to-back losses.''

    Just more than five minutes after Gonchar's goal, Lang skated into

    the offensive zone and threaded a pass through defenders that

    Berezin knocked in for his 20th of the season to make it 2-0.

    ''He's scored goals in two of our last two games. That's what he

    does,'' Washington coach Bruce Casey said. ''He fits in nicely with

    Robert Lang; they seem to have a little chemistry. I don't know if

    he will stay there with (Kip) Miller and Jagr returning, we hope in

    the near future, but we'll find a place for him. If he scores a

    goal a game, we'll find a place for him.''

    Alex Tanguay passed from behind the net to a cutting Sakic in

    front, and he converted just less than three minutes into the period to

    make the score 2-1. However, Colorado, playing without star center

    Peter Forsberg because of a charley horse sustained in the defeat Saturday against Detroit, couldn't solve Kolzig (21 saves) again.

    Game notes
    The Capitals have earned points in eight of their past nine

    games. ... The game Sunday was Washington's last at home before its

    six-game road trip through Canada that starts Thursday in Calgary.

    ... Colorado defenseman Bryan Marchment assisted on Sakic's goal;

    it was Marchment's first point with the Avalanche since joining the

    team earlier this month.