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 Maintaining momentum Roy blanks Detroit as Avalanche take 3-2 series lead
Posted: Monday May 17, 1999 08:53 AM
DENVER (AP) -- Home finally proved to be sweet in the Detroit-Colorado series. Patrick Roy made sure of that. Roy recorded his 12th career playoff shutout, and Peter Forsberg had a goal and an assist as the Colorado Avalanche beat Detroit 3-0 on Sunday to move one victory away from the Western Conference finals. The Avalanche, winning their third straight game in the series after losing the first two at home, could clinch the series in Game 6 Tuesday night in Detroit. A seventh game, if necessary, would be played Thursday in Denver. Roy, extending his NHL playoff record for wins to 106, had 36 saves as the home team won for the first time in this series. Roy has stopped 111 of the last 116 Detroit shots. Colorado coach Bob Hartley called the outcome "a great game from everyone, a great 60-minute effort." But he had special praise for his goalie. "We've been blocking a lot of shots," Hartley said, "but let's not forget: Whenever there is a big save to be made, No. 33 [Roy] is standing right there." Roy said the Avalanche's focus on playing a simpler game -- an approach that has worked on the road -- paid off. "We tried to keep it as simple as possible and think defense," Roy said. "If we do that, we know that with the offense we have, we always have a chance." Roy's 12th career playoff shutout tied him with Terry Sawchuk for fourth place in NHL history. His last shutout in the postseason came in Game 5 against Detroit in the Western Conference finals in 1997. Detroit's Chris Osgood, who missed the first four games with a sprained right knee, returned to the net and had 23 saves. Other Colorado goals were scored by Jeff Odgers, his first of the playoffs, and Adam Deadmarsh, his seventh. "It was a pretty frustrating game," Detroit coach Scotty Bowman said. "We generated some chances. But we missed the net, I think it was, 15 times by the end of the second period." Asked if those misses were out of frustration at Roy's superb goaltending, Bowman said, "Maybe we were trying to pick corners. That happens sometimes." Red Wings forward Martin Lapointe said, "We're not dead yet. Obviously, our back is against the wall. We've done it before. We've just got to play with more desperation." Bowman wasn't displeased with Osgood's performance. "I think he got a good game under his belt and didn't aggravate it any more," he said. "He battled through it. I give him credit." The Red Wings lost defenseman Ulf Samuelsson early in the first period with what the club announced was a groin injury. He did not return. Bowman wasn't confident of getting Samuelsson back for Game 6. "He couldn't go today," Bowman said, "so it would have to be a pretty fast recovery." Odgers scored the lone goal of the first period following a mid-ice turnover by Detroit's Vyacheslav Kozlov. On only the second shift by Colorado's fourth line, Odgers took a shot from beyond the right circle that was deflected by Osgood but trickled into the net at 11:06. It was only the second playoff goal of Odgers' eight-year career. "When you play in the fourth line, you try to be a part of the game," Odgers said. "To contribute in that way is a bonus. It's a great feeling when you're not used to scoring a lot." Colorado's Sandis Ozolinsh missed an open net early in the period, sending a puck across the crease that appeared to be going wide before Osgood dived on it. Roy had quality stops on Wendel Clark, Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov in the period. Detroit got no shots on its two power plays in the period, and Colorado defenders blocked six shots before the puck could get to Roy. In the second period, the Avalanche scored two goals less than three minutes apart. Deadmarsh sprinted out of the penalty box, took a pass from Forsberg and rifled a shot from the slot between Osgood's legs at 4:23 for his third goal in the last two games. Forsberg scored from the right circle on a power play at 7:19. It was Forsberg's sixth point in the last three games. Detroit's Brendan Shanahan was wide with a shot on a breakaway, and Roy made several solid saves as the Red Wings had a number of scoring chances late in the period. Roy frustrated the Red Wings again early in the third period, including stopping back-to-back shots by Yzerman and Mathieu Dandenault.
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