Avs end eight-game skid against Red Wings

Not having started since Nov. 29, goalie stops 34 in victory

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 15, 2008 at 7:43 p.m.

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Photo by Paul Sancya © AP

Colorado's Wojtek Wolski shoots around Detroit goalie Chris Osgood for a goal during the first period of the teams' game Monday night in Detroit.

Who would've thunk it?

Playing a goalie with one start in six weeks against a defending Stanley Cup champion it had lost to 16 times in the previous 18 meetings, the Avalanche skated to a 3-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night before 19,154 at Joe Louis Arena.

Andrew Raycroft stopped 34 shots, the Avalanche killed all five Detroit power plays - including a two-man advantage in the first period - and defenseman Jordan Leopold scored what proved to be the decisive goal on a third- period penalty shot.

Including last season's playoff sweep in the Western Conference semifinals, the Avalanche had lost eight consecutive games to the Red Wings since a 4-3 overtime win in Detroit on March 4, 2007.

" 'Rayzor' was great, and that's what you have to have - key saves," coach Tony Granato said. "I think our penalty killers did an outstanding job. If you look at our lineup, everybody contributed in one way or another. All the lines did a great job and were very sound defensively.

"When you play in Detroit, they're going to get chances because of who they are. You can't stand back and watch them and be on your heels. If you do, they'll be in your end the whole game. We showed them respect, but we didn't stand around and watch them."

Raycroft has won three of four career decisions against the Red Wings but had made only one start since Oct. 30, a 4-3 win against Tampa Bay on Nov. 29.

"They've got some skill and they work as hard as anybody," he said of the Red Wings, who lead the Central Division with a 20-6-4 record. "They made us work and they made me work. We got a few breaks and came out with two (points)."

Raycroft made a number of key saves, none more impressive than when he robbed Henrik Zetterberg during a Red Wings power play early in the second period.

"I felt really good for playing one game in the last month," he said. "I felt real sharp. I've been working real hard in practice, and (goalies coach Jeff Hackett) has been on my back and making sure that I'm doing the right things and giving me a lot of encouragement.

"It's nice when it pays off."

The Avalanche built a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Wojtek Wolski at 1:07 and Paul Stastny on a power play at 4:34, and it also killed off a five-on-three Red Wings power play that lasted 65 seconds.

Wolski knocked away the puck from Red Wings defenseman Brad Stuart and connected on a return pass from Tyler Arnason, and Stastny fired a shot by goalie Chris Osgood's glove after taking a feed from Milan Hejduk.

"It's very hard to play here," said Wolski, who has five goals in the past eight games. "They're a good team, and I think that really helped us. We knew we had to pay attention to the little things."

The Red Wings sliced the deficit to 2-1 at 9:10 of the second period on a delayed penalty when Tomas Holmstrom scored during a goalmouth scramble.

But Leopold regained the two- goal advantage at 1:51 of the third period on a penalty shot. It was awarded when Detroit defenseman Brett Lebda covered the puck on the goal line with his glove after Cody McLeod set up Cody McCormick for a shot that goalie Chris Osgood stopped.

Granato had to choose a skater on the ice at the time.

" 'Leo' is good on breakaways just from practicing," Granato said. "Anytime we have any sort of competition, he always seems to find his way into the finals. We have him in the back of our mind for shootouts as a potential guy. He was a guy that we were very confident would make a good play."

Leopold skated down the middle, faked as though he would try to shoot the puck between Osgood's pads and put a shot by the goalie's left shoulder.

It proved to be the winning goal when Marian Hossa scored off a faceoff at 7:07 to make it 3-2.

"I felt good going into it and I ended up getting a big goal," said Leopold, who turned to Avalanche goalie Peter Budaj and forward Wojtek Wolski, who has scored on all his shootout attempts this season, for advice.

"It's a huge two points for us," Leopold said. " 'Rayzor' played great, we backchecked hard, got pucks out of our blue line and into their end, and that made the difference. We took some penalties and had some big kills and did everything right."

• December 15, 2008

  8:34 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Woodrow writes:

  FINALLY, that was long overdue. Nice win boyzzzzzzzzzzz. Raycroft played out of his head, very impressive.

• December 15, 2008

  8:57 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  nogreenie writes:

  Based on past history, what are the odds of the Avs winning in Detroit and the Nuggets winning in Dallas on the same evening? Great sports night for Denver!

• December 16, 2008

  7:05 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  hharpman writes:

  Ride Raycroft he is hot!
  AVS always work hard for 60 min with him in net.

• December 16, 2008

  7:48 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  ColoNative writes:

  Did not look mediocre last night.

• December 16, 2008

  12:39 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  HankReardon writes:

  Next, we take Philly.

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