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DENVER (AP) -- In a game of bizarre bounces, weird deflections and freaky goals, Milan Hejduk did what he does best -- torment the Vancouver Canucks. Hejduk broke a tie with 5:44 left on a goal that required video review, and the Colorado Avalanche celebrated the raising of their Stanley Cup banner with a 5-4 victory over Vancouver on Tuesday night. The Avalanche rallied from one-goal deficits three times in their home opener. Hejduk got the winner on a rush up the middle, but his goal wasn't allowed until several minutes of video review showed the puck had trickled across the line. It wasn't surprising that it counted. In 18 career games against the Canucks, Hejduk has scored 13 goals, six more than he has scored against any other opponent. It was Hejduk's third game-winning goal against the Canucks in the last two seasons. "I don't know why," Hejduk said. "Maybe luck. Who knows? They play a pretty open game, which sets up lots of scoring chances, lots of 2-on-1s, 3-on-2s. Maybe that's why." Of his clinching goal, Hejduk said, "When I was in front of the net, I thought it went in, then I wasn't sure. I've never played in a game like that with so many lucky bounces." Colorado coach Bob Hartley said, "From the last angle I saw, it looked like a goal. It was a tough call, but personally I think it was a goal. "I think we got some breaks, and we took advantage of our
breaks like any good team. We found a way to win. Maybe it wasn't
as pretty as we would have liked." Canucks coach Marc Crawford, who led Colorado to its first Stanley Cup title in 1996, said the last goal was "questionable." "We were the best team on the ice, but it doesn't matter. They got the two points. You could say we deserved a better fate." At least two of Colorado's goals appeared to have deflected off
Vancouver players. Colorado's Joe Sakic had a goal and two assists. Todd Bertuzzi scored his 100th career goal and added two assists for the Canucks. Colorado's Patrick Roy had 28 saves, and Vancouver's Martin Brochu, in his first game for the Canucks after being acquired in the waiver draft from Minnesota, stopped 26 shots. Sakic and Vancouver's Ed Jovanovski had goals as the teams
skated to a 1-1 tie in the first period. Vancouver already owned a 9-0 edge in shots on goal when
Jovanovski scored a power-play goal at 7:42. Bertuzzi couldn't
handle the puck on a 2-on-1 rush and, when Sakic was unable to
clear the puck, Jovanovski swooped in and scored from the slot. Sakic's shorthanded goal at 18:38 tied it. Sakic came down the left side and shot from the circle between Jovanovski's legs, deflecting off the far post. Each team scored two power-play goals in the second period. Vancouver's Daniel Sedin took a shot from the right corner that
appeared to hit Colorado defenseman Rob Blake's skate and deflect past Roy at 2:55. Colorado was unable to convert on a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:36,
but Martin Skoula's unassisted goal moments later from the left
point made it 2-2 at 8:49. Markus Naslund's pass to Herbert Vasiljevs near the crease put
the Canucks ahead at 14:00, but Blake countered at 15:24 from the
slot on a feed from Sakic. The Avalanche took the lead for the first time on Chris Drury's
sprawling goal at 4:13 of the final period. Drury split defenders
Jovanovski and Scott Lachance on a goal that Hartley called "worth
the price of admission." Bertuzzi tied it, jamming the puck past Roy at 8:07. Game notes
In a pregame ceremony, the Avs raised the Stanley Cup
banner to the rafters of Pepsi Center, where it joined their Cup
banner from 1996. ... At 0-3, the Canucks are off to their worst
start since 1976-77. ... Counting the playoffs, the Canucks are
2-16-6 since March 4. ... Retired Avs defenseman Ray Bourque, who received his Stanley Cup ring Sunday night, attended the game. His
No. 77 jersey, retired by the Boston Bruins last week, will be
retired by the Avs on Nov. 24. ... Brochu started in place of Dan
Cloutier, who had allowed nine goals in the Canucks' first two
games. ... Colorado hadn't played since a season-opening 3-1 win
over Pittsburgh last Wednesday.
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