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Avalanche quashed by Quenneville

Former Avalanche coach guides Blackhawks to 4-3 win in his first game back in Denver

By Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 12, 2008 at 9:29 p.m.

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Avalanche goalie Peter Budaj looks on as Blackhawks right winger Kris Versteeg tumbles into the net after a check in front of the crease during the teams' game Friday night at the Pepsi Center.

David Zalubowski © AP

Avalanche goalie Peter Budaj looks on as Blackhawks right winger Kris Versteeg tumbles into the net after a check in front of the crease during the teams' game Friday night at the Pepsi Center.

Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan, right, clears the puck as Blackhawks right wing Kris Versteeg reaches in. Versteeg had an assist on Dustin Byfuglien's goal that ended Colorado's four-game home winning streak. The Blackhawks rallied late to give coach Joel Quenneville a win in his return to Colorado.

Photo by David Zalubowski / Associated Press

Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan, right, clears the puck as Blackhawks right wing Kris Versteeg reaches in. Versteeg had an assist on Dustin Byfuglien's goal that ended Colorado's four-game home winning streak. The Blackhawks rallied late to give coach Joel Quenneville a win in his return to Colorado.

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Even while pacing behind the visitor's bench, Joel Quenneville had no trouble making himself right at home.

Quenneville won 74 games at the Pepsi Center as Avalanche coach from 2005-08, and he added another one Friday night at the expense of his former team.

Dustin Byfuglien scored twice and the Chicago Blackhawks rallied in the final 10 minutes of the game for a 4-3 victory against the Avalanche.

"It's always good to be back here," Quenneville said. "I love it here. We like Chicago now."

Despite being outplayed for much of the final 40 minutes of the game, the Avalanche led 3-2 after Wojtek Wolski channeled some of his shootout magic.

Wolski, 5-for-5 in shootout attempts this season, split two defenders near the blue line and easily beat Chicago goalie Nikolai Khabibulin on a breakaway 3:43 into the third period.

"In a game, it's so much harder (than in a shootout), because there's so much more speed and you've got a guy chasing you," Wolski said. "You don't have as much time to make a move or think of a move. I was real happy with the goal but disappointed in the loss."

The Avalanche had a third-period meltdown Nov. 3 in Chicago, allowing four goals in a 6-2 loss, and once again it failed to keep up with the Blackhawks during crunch time.

While Wolski's goal was pretty, the Blackhawks countered with two goals that would have challenged even the highest- paid Hollywood makeup artist.

Andrew Ladd tied the score with 9:59 remaining when his shot from the slot bounced off Milan

Hejduk's skate and past Avalanche goalie Peter Budaj.

Byfuglien then slapped in a loose puck while battling in front of the net just after Colorado had killed off a Chicago power play with 6:09 to play.

"I would say both goals he scored, he got lucky," Budaj said. "It seemed the pucks were going through me."

Byfuglien, who had scored three goals in his first 23 games this season, didn't entirely disagree.

"They weren't pretty goals, but they were hard-working goals," he said. "Sooner or later, bounces like that go in for people. That's just bad luck for (Budaj). Sometimes he saves those, sometimes you don't."

The loss snapped the Avalanche's four-game home winning streak and dropped it back to .500 as it prepares for a four-game trip that starts with back-to-back games in Detroit and Philadelphia, two of the NHL's top teams.

"It's going to be a fun trip," Wolski said. "We're hoping for at least two, three wins to kind of get back into the race and get above .500."

Under Quenneville's leadership, the Blackhawks have soared above .500, going 13-4-6 since he took over for Denis Savard.

His young team certainly showed its poise after the Avalanche jumped out to a 2-1 lead on goals by rookie Chris Stewart and Ian Laperriere in the first period.

The Blackhawks had better jump in the second and third periods, outshooting Colorado 17-9 to help keep pressure off Khabibulin, who made 18 saves in his first game in more than two weeks.

Three of Colorado's shots in the last two periods came during the final minute of desperation time.

"You're up by a goal in your building, you should play a little bit smarter," Laperriere said. "These are important points we're losing right now and we just can't afford to do that."

The Avalanche has played 18 one- goal games, and any chance of gaining some breathing room was erased when Byfuglien scored on a mini- breakaway to tie the score 7:30 into the second period.

Wolski briefly trumped Byfuglien with his breakaway goal, but Chicago ultimately got rewarded for its strong forecheck and constant pressure in the Avalanche zone.

"They came out really hard in the third," Budaj said. "They outplayed us and they deserved two points."

In his first game back to Denver, Quenneville was glad to leave the building with the points in his pocket.

"They were a dangerous team and they worked hard," he said of his former team. "It was a very even game that could have gone either way."

ETC.: While forward Darcy Tucker (knee) will accompany the team on its upcoming four-game trip, forward Ben Guite (ribs) remains slow to recover. Granato said Guite is "progressing," but was unsure whether he would travel. Guite hasn't played since Nov. 8. . . . Adam Foote assisted on Laperriere's goal to set the Avalanche franchise record for assists by a defenseman (182).