Colorado Extends Streak to Nine

The Colorado Avalanche waited a long time to snatch a victory away from the Nashville Predators. Peter Forsberg continued his quick start with a power-play goal in overtime as the Avalanche extended its season-opening unbeaten streak to nine games Wednesday night with a 2-1 victory at Denver.

Chris Drury tied the score in the final two minutes for the Avalanche, which at 7-0-2 is the last unbeaten team in the Western Conference.

“It’s good to see Peter getting rewarded,” Colorado Coach Bob Hartley said. “His line is making things happen and putting a lot of pucks at the net.”

Forsberg extended his goal-scoring streak to five games with his eighth over that stretch. Forsberg, who darted past reporters without offering any comments, also has six assists in his last seven games.

With Kimmo Timonen in the penalty box, Ray Bourque took a slap shot from the slot that Forsberg deflected past Mike Dunham with 1:02 to play in the extra period. It was Bourque’s second assist of the night and the 1,529th point of his career, moving him past Paul Coffey of the Boston Bruins for first place among defensemen.

“Everything I accomplished I never really thought I’d get there,” Bourque said. “You never really get satisfied. You never sit on your laurels.”

Said Predator goaltender Mike Dunham: “I was in position for Bourque’s shot, but Forsberg was standing right there. The puck hit the shaft of his stick.”

Drury’s tying came at the end of an end-to-end rush with 1:52 to play in regulation.

Drury skated from his own zone past three Predators and around defenseman Robert Lintner. With Lintner draped on him, Drury muscled a shot past Dunham.

Patrick Roy stopped 19 shots for the Avalanche.

Ottawa 3, Pittsburgh 2--Radek Bonk scored one goal and set up another in the second period at Pittsburgh as the Senators remained unbeaten.

The Senators (5-0-3) are the last team without a loss in the Eastern Conference. After losing leads in their last two games, they withstood the Penguins’ 16-shot, two-goal attack in the third period.

Goalie Jani Hurme keyed that as he continued to substitute for the injured Patrick Lalime, making 31 saves. Lalime, who leads the NHL in save percentage, is sidelined because of a knee injury.

“That might have been one of [Hurme’s] better performances since he was thrown in,” Ottawa Coach Jacques Martin said. “I thought he was strong.”

Atlanta 3, Edmonton 1--Damian Rhodes made 27 saves at Edmonton to help the Thrashers to their first victory. The victory for the Thrashers (1-3-3) left the Florida Panthers (0-3-2-2) as the league’s only winless team.

Buffalo 4, Carolina 1--Erik Rasmussen had a goal and an assist at Buffalo, N.Y., and goaltender Dominik Hasek earned his first victory of the season.

The 35-year-old Hasek, a notoriously slow starter, entered the game with an 0-4-1 record and a 3.40 goals-against average. Against Carolina, the five-time Vezina Trophy winner stopped 30 shots.

Detroit 5, Tampa Bay 1--Brendan Shanahan had a goal and an assist and Chris Osgood made 25 saves for the Red Wings at Detroit.

Toronto 6, Minnesota 1--Gary Roberts, playing his 800th NHL game, scored two goals and added an assist at Toronto.

The Maple Leafs have won three in a row since Roberts joined Mats Sundin on the top line.

San Jose 3, Columbus 1--Gary Suter celebrated his 1,000th NHL game with a goal to help the Sharks win at Columbus, Ohio.

New Jersey 2, Florida 1--Patrick Elias scored with 1:33 remaining to lift the Devils at Sunrise, Fla.

Vancouver 6, Dallas 2--Brendan Morrison, Denis Pederson and Bryan Helmer scored second-period goals over a span of four minutes and 34 seconds at Dallas to help the Canucks end the Stars’ five-game winning streak.