Avs get well in Ohio

Troubled Columbus supplies cure that ends Colorado skid

Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 18, 2006 at midnight

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COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Big Game is today.

Friday night's matchup at Nationwide Arena could have been billed as an NHL installment of The Biggest Loser.

The Avalanche arrived in Ohio lacking confidence and carrying the weight of a four-game losing streak.

The Columbus Blue Jackets took the ice having lost 10 of 13 games as they tried to find an identity after a coaching change earlier in the week and another coming next week.

By the time it was over, Colorado players were enjoying celebratory fist bumps that have become nearly automatic after games against Columbus the past six seasons.

Slumping and frustrated for the better part of two weeks, the Avs took advantage of their personal on-ice patsy, dispatching the Blue Jackets 3-0 in front of a disgruntled crowd merely killing time until today's college football showdown between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan.

Since the Blue Jackets joined the NHL for the 2000-01 season, the Avalanche has won 20 of 22 meetings and come away with at least a point in every game.

"I think usually there's a team that you have a hard time trying to beat," Colorado coach Joel Quenneville said. "I wasn't worried about the history. We needed the two points real bad."

Coming off a disheartening loss to the San Jose Sharks two days earlier, the Avs approached must-win territory as they opened a three-game trip that continues tonight against the Minnesota Wild.

Solid special-teams play, a rare goal from defenseman Ossi Vaananen and a steady performance by backup goalie Peter Budaj ensured that the trip started well.

Vaananen scored his first goal in 74 games with Colorado, while Budaj made 25 saves for his third career shutout and his first victory since Oct. 23.

Paul Stastny and Marek Svatos added goals to help the Avalanche end its longest regulation losing streak since 1998-99.

"It sucks to lose that many games in a row," Vaananen said. "It starts to wear on the guys, but I think we believe in ourselves. We haven't played that bad lately. Just the results weren't there."

Despite Colorado's recent struggles, its confidence against Columbus was evident from the start as the Avalanche jumped to a 3-0 lead in the game's first 40 minutes and coasted to its first win since Nov. 4.

Stastny ended Colorado's 0-for-19 power-play drought when he scored 7:29 into the first period. A huge weight appeared to lift after the goal, allowing the Avalanche to settle into a simplified game plan.

"We just wanted to make sure that we got off to a great start," Quenneville said. "Scoring early helped. We checked well and moved together well. We played this way last game and had a real frustrating loss. We didn't change our approach and we got rewarded."

Vaananen, who defines the term stay-at-home defenseman, gave the Avalanche another boost when he found the back of the net 9:18 into the second period.

Vaananen scored his 11th career goal when he charged into the slot and converted a pass from Andrew Brunette.

Asked if he forgot how to celebrate, Vaananen chuckled.

"Good question," he said. "It was a good feeling. The celebration, I guess, I'm not that used to it when I score."

Any thoughts of a Columbus comeback ended when Svatos scored with 1:32 left before the second intermission. The goal came 61 seconds after the Avalanche killed off a Blue Jackets power play.

As the clock ticked down at the end of the period, boos rained from the rafters, and Colorado took few chances in the final period to ensure the crowd never returned to life.

"It was a pretty solid game. We didn't give up a lot of scoring chances," Avs captain Joe Sakic said. "We played well with the lead. We did what we had to do."

Support was plentiful for Budaj, who never had to be brilliant, but avoided giving up bad goals that have plagued No. 1 starter Jose Theodore at times this season.

Budaj, making his first start since Nov. 2, showed few signs of rust while recording the first shutout by an Avalanche goalie since he blanked the Los Angeles Kings on March 20.

"I felt pretty comfortable," he said. "After a while, I got a chance to start and got a shutout. That's very big and it's very good for my confidence."

Quenneville hinted Budaj might get another start in net tonight against Minnesota.

ETC.: Former Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote exchanged words with Vaananen and Colorado forward Ian Laperriere in the second period . . . Sakic had an assist, giving him 31 points in 20 games against Columbus.

Colorado......1	2	0	-	3
Columbus......0	0	0	-	0

First period - 1, Col, Stastny 4, 7:29 (pp). Penalties - Chimera, Clb, (charging), 1:20; Modin, Clb (hooking), 6:02; Hejduk, Col, (goalie interference), 10:39; Skrastins, Col, (holding), 17:28.

Second period - 2, Col, Vaananen 1 (Brunette, Sakic), 9:18. 3, Col, Svatos 5 (Arnason), 18:28. Penalties - Laperriere, Col, double minor (roughing), 15:27; Tollefsen, Clb (roughing), 15:27.

Third period - None. Penalties - Svatos, Col, (tripping), 6:05; Fritsche, Clb (diving), 6:05; Klee, Col, (interference), 8:28; Nash, Clb (diving), 8:28; Vaananen, Col, (tripping), 15:25; Fritsche, Clb (hooking), 19:39.

Shots - Col 11-13-4 - 28. Clm 9-8-8 - 25. Power plays - Col 1 of 4; Clm 0 of 4. Goalies - Col, Budaj 3-3-1 (25 shots-25 saves). Clm, Norrena 0-3-0 (28-25). A - 16,375 (18,136). T - 2:15. Referees - Dan Marouelli, Chris Rooney. Linesmen - Derek Amell, Dan Schachte.

Avalanche at Wild

• When: 6 MST tonight.

• Where: Xcel Energy Center.

• TV/Radio: Altitude 2; KKFN-AM (950).

• Leading scorers

Minnesota (12-6-0)

G A P

LW Brian Rolston 11 6 17

C Pavol Demitra 5 10 15

RW Pierre-Marc Bouchard 3 12 15

C Todd White 5 8 13

C Mikko Koivu 3 10 13

Colorado (8-9-2)

G A P

C Joe Sakic 8 11 19

LW Andrew Brunette 7 8 15

RW Milan Hejduk 7 7 14

RW Marek Svatos 5 9 14

C Tyler Arnason 5 9 14

• Injuries: Colorado - D Jordan Leopold (hernia), F Brad May (shoulder surgery) and F Pierre Turgeon (shoulder surgery) are on injured reserve. Minnesota - RW Marian Gaborik (strained groin) is out indefinitely.

• Sidelight: The Avalanche would be wise to get things done in regulation. The Wild is 5-for-5 in shootouts and has won two other games in overtime. Colorado, meanwhile, has lost each of its two overtime games.

• Notes: The Avs and Wild have split the first two meetings this season, with each team winning on home ice . . . Minnesota is coming off an improbable 7-6 shootout win against the Nashville Predators. The Wild erased a three-goal deficit to stage the largest comeback victory in franchise history . . . Backup goalie Niklas Backstrom was phenomenal in relief of Manny Fernandez, stopping 24 of 25 shots against Nashville. All three of Backstrom's wins this season have come in relief . . . Minnesota finished a five-game trip 2-3 and is playing at home for the first time since Nov. 4 . . . Colorado is 1-1-1 in the second of back-to-back games this season.

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