Avalanche Shuts Out Canucks To Take 2-1 Lead

Peter Forsberg, Valeri Kamensky and Claude Lemieux each scored power-play goals in the first two periods as the Colorado Avalanche beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 Saturday night.

The Avalanche dominated special teams to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series. Game 4 will be Monday night at GM Place in Vancouver.

The Canucks’ power plays silenced the announced sellout of 18,422. Many fans left in disgust during the third period.

Goaltender Patrick Roy stopped 28 shots for Colorado for his sixth career shutout in the playoffs, making few difficult saves.

Scott Young scored the only evenstrength goal in the last period against Vancouver goalie Corey Hirsch, who faced 31 shots.

Lemieux got his first goal in this series when he converted a sharp passout from Kamensky.

Colorado 1 2 1 - 4

Vancouver 0 0 0 - 0

First period-1, Colorado, Forsberg 4 (Ozolinsh, Krupp), 11:49 (pp). Second period-2, Colorado, Kamensky 2 (Ozolinsh, Sakic), 4:19 (pp). 3, Colorado, Lemieux 1 (Kamensky, Forsberg), 8:27 (pp). Third period-4, Colorado, Young 1 (Sakic, Simon), 11:58.

Shots on goal-Colorado 9-13-9-31. Vancouver 8-10-10-28.Power-play opp.-Colorado 3 of 5; Vancouver 0 of 6.Goalies-Colorado, Roy 2-1 (28 shots-28 saves). Vancouver, Hirsch 1-1 (31-27).A-18,422 (18,422).