Sharp Avalanche Gets Even

DENVER — After squandering seven leads against Detroit, the Colorado Avalanche were finally able to build on one.

Patrick Roy stopped 31 shots and Chris Drury scored late in the third period as the Avalanche beat the Red Wings, 3-2, Saturday to even the NHL Western Conference finals at two games apiece.

Drury scored his fifth goal of the playoffs and second game-winner of the series by one-timing a pass from Peter Forsberg over Dominik Hasek’s glove with 3:17 left.

It marked Colorado’s first two-goal lead since Game 4 against San Jose in the conference semifinals and only the second lead the defending Stanley Cup champions have held against Detroit.

Drury’s game-winner in overtime of Game 2 was the only other Colorado lead to stand.

“We have given up so many leads, but today we did a better job,” said Forsberg, who has at least one point in 11 of his last 12 playoff games.

“Maybe we’re learning, hopefully we’re learning. It’s going to be a long series and if we’re going to win, we have to be able to keep the lead.”

Drury’s goal proved vital, as Brett Hull made it 3-2 with 2.7 seconds left on a wrister from just outside the crease. Colorado won the ensuing faceoff and Detroit wasn’t able to get off a shot.

Game 5 is Monday night in Detroit.

“I thought we pressed right to the end,” Detroit Coach Scotty Bowman said. “I was very proud of our team today. You like to get the results, but we played well. I know that’s not good enough, but it’s always worse if you lose and play poorly.”

Joe Sakic, who had only two shots in Game 3, put Colorado up, 2-1, 45 seconds into the third period, beating Hasek stickside with a wrister from the slot. Greg de Vries set up the goal, stealing a pass from Chris Chelios near the center line.

It was Sakic’s ninth goal of the playoffs.

“I thought that when Sakic scored the goal at the start of the third, they got more of the momentum after that,” Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom said. “We couldn’t really get it going like we did in the first and second period.”

The Avalanche vowed to play better defense in front of Roy after he faced 42 shots in Game 3, a 2-1 loss in overtime, but that wasn’t the case early.

The Red Wings peppered Roy with 16 shots in the first period, including several from close range.

But just like in Game 3, when he stopped 40 shots, Roy kept the Avalanche in it.

He stopped Boyd Devereaux on a one-timer from just outside the crease early in the first, then a hard shot from the right circle by Hull 30 seconds later.

Roy also made a sliding stop with his chest on a shot by Tomas Holmstrom on a Detroit power play in the second, and had a kick save on a shot by Hull on a power play with four minutes left in the game.

It was the 237th career playoff game for Roy, moving him past Mark Messier for most in NHL history.

“We came out a little flat,” Colorado’s Dan Hinote said. “Thank God for Patty once again.”