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EVENTS
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DENVER (Ticker) -- On paper and on the stat sheet, it was a mismatch. But the Los Angeles Kings won the game where it counts -- on the ice. Defenseman Jaroslav Modry scored his first career playoff goal 14:23 into overtime to give the Kings a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game One of the Western Conference semifinals. The Kings were dominated in the second and third period, but had a 9-4 advantage in shots in overtime. Los Angeles went on the power play after Colorado defenseman Adam Foote pulled down right wing Ziggy Palffy with 6 1/2 minutes left in the extra session. Just before the game-winner, goaltender Patrick Roy made a save on Jozef Stumpel's wrist shot. After Los Angeles won the ensuing faceoff, Stumpel faked a shot and sent a cross-ice pass to Modry, who fired a low one-timer past Roy from the back of the right circle. "It's a tremendous feeling to help the team win the first game," Modry said. "You've got to stay positive and stay focused because you never know when you might get a chance to play and step up and do your job." In regulation, Colorado outshot Los Angeles, 33-16, and held the Kings without a shot for a 21:22 span that bridged the second and third periods. Defenseman Rob Blake had a goal and an assist and led the Avalanche with seven shots on goal. "We just have to make sure we come out and play better Game Two," said Colorado captain Joe Sakic. "We have to avoid those turnovers because they can score goals. You have to win on the road in the playoffs anyway. We have to make sure we come out hard in Game Two." Blake, the 1998 Norris Trophy winner who was traded to Colorado before the trade deadline in exchange for Adam Deadmarsh and Aaron Miller, gave the Avalanche a 2-1 edge at 2:40 of the second period. After taking a pass from Peter Forsberg, Blake took a slap shot from the back of the right circle that deflected off Potvin's stick for his second playoff goal. "We keep on winning games, they are not always pretty," Miller said. "It might take four or five periods to do it but we are getting wins at the most important time of the year. When you are the seventh seed you've got to win on the road. They worked hard to get the Presidents' Cup and have a home-ice advantage, but with this win tonight we took a little bit away from them. We are not going to be happy with the one now we've got a great chance to get two." Although Colorado outshot Los Angeles, 14-2, in the second period, the Kings tied the score on Nelson Emerson's goal at 9:29. Deadmarsh stopped an attempted clearing pass at the blue line and sent a pass to Emerson, who put a backhander in between Roy's pads from the slot. "I know when they goal goes through your legs it never looks good, but I was more upset with the second goal," Roy said. "The third goal went right over my stick. I thought I was in the right position and it suprised me a little bit." The Avalanche continued to control the play at the start of the third period as Los Angeles did not register a shot on goal until Philippe Boucher flipped a wrister at Roy from the right circle with 9:08 remaining. Potvin made several key saves to keep the score tied, including a stop on Chris Drury from point-blank range with 12:10 remaining. Glen Murray gave the Kings a 3-2 edge with seven minutes to go as he put a wrist shot in between Roy's pads from the slot. Murray also gave Los Angeles a 1-0 lead when he took a cross-ice pass from Mathieu Schneider and snapped a shot by Roy from the right point 9:20 into the game. The Avalanche converted a power play and tied the score, 3-3, with 4 1/2 minutes left. Defenseman Mattias Norstrom, blocked Milan Hejduk's shot from the left circle, but the puck bounced to the top left crease where Forsberg batted it in for his third playoff goal. Each goalie made a key save in the closing minutes of regulation. With 3:49 remaining, Roy used his right pad to deny Bryan Smolinski's backhander. Potvin closed his pads to stop Sakic's wrist shot fronm the left circle with 2:04 left. Drury had six shots on goal, including his fifth playoff goal that tied the score, 1-1, with 4:01 left in the opening period. |
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