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Monday, February 8, 1999
Colorado's superstars power Avalanche win streak
DENVER (AP) -- Bob Hartley walked into the Colorado Avalanche media room Monday to an unusually large crowd that nearly stopped him dead in his hockey skates."Is John Elway coming back?" a smiling Hartley said, referring to the future Hall of Fame quarterback who spends six months a year training with the Denver Broncos about a mile from the Avalanche's practice rink.
While Elway ponders retirement, the Avalanche have spurred talk of a hockey resurrection, winning 12 straight games to quietly creep within reach of the Pittsburgh Penguins' NHL-record 17 consecutive victories in 1992-93.
The month-long streak has put Colorado back among the league's elite and helped erase the memory of an 0-4 start that had people writing off the Avs just three seasons removed from their Stanley Cup title.
"Every time we look back at our start, no one ever thought we'd get on a little role like we have lately," forward Adam Deadmarsh said. "I think everyone around the room was a little frustrated with that and felt we could do a little better. I don't know what happened."
There is no shortage of theories behind Colorado's run of success, which started Jan. 10 with a come-from-behind 3-2 overtime victory at Chicago.
Heading the list of possibilities is the return of early season holdout Sandis Ozolinsh, who could appropriately be referred to as 12-0zolinsh. Since the offensive-minded defenseman entered the lineup, the Avalanche have not lost.
Asked if he wants credit for the streak, Ozolinsh just shakes his head.
"Not really. Not anymore," he said. "Now it's getting more serious. The first three games, yeah. Four games, yeah. Not when it's 12 games. It's getting kind of old. After each game, everybody wants to rub my head."
Long before Ozolinsh became a good-luck charm, Hartley made a serendipitous lineup change that has helped the Avalanche (29-19-4) go from two games under .500 to their perch atop the Northwest Division.
Tired of watching his team struggle offensively, the rookie coach moved center Peter Forsberg to left wing on Dec. 2, putting him on the same line as fellow all-star Joe Sakic.
Colorado won its first five games after the switch, but went 3-6-1 when injuries split the pair for three weeks. The dangerous duo has been healthy for all but one game of the current streak, and the Avalanche are 17-2-1 when both are playing side-by-side.
"In my business, we have to do experiments every day," Hartley said. "At the time we decided to put Peter and Joe together, we wanted to create a spark. We wanted to create excitement in the dressing room. It's one of those combinations that could have failed all the way out."
Having regained its scoring punch, Colorado signed goaltender Patrick Roy to a $15 million contract extension two weeks ago, and he has responded with 11 straight victories (backup Craig Billington won the first game of the streak).
Roy, who leads active goaltenders with 401 wins, has three shutouts and has allowed two or fewer goals eight times during his tear. In the 12-game streak, Colorado has outscored the opponent 47-20.
"When I'm on the bench watching the top two lines, and the defense and Patrick, I am sitting there kind of saying, 'What a show these guys are putting on,"' rookie center Chris Drury said. "It's been unbelievable."
Drury, who was named college's top player in 1997, has done his part as well. Skating on Colorado's third line with Stephane Yelle and Shean Donovan, Drury has two goals and seven assists in the last 12 games.
"It seems that every game, there's a different line or a different guy coming out to really give us that big play or that big goal," Hartley said. "It's a sign of a healthy club right now. The guys feel real confident. They're having fun."
The Avs put their streak on the line Tuesday night against Calgary -- a dangerous team if Colorado has a letdown after four road victories against playoff-caliber Boston, Buffalo, Detroit and Dallas.
"We really didn't find ourselves until this road trip," Sakic said. "We knew we won eight in a row, but we didn't play any of the elite teams. Winning those games was definitely a good confidence boost. We have to keep building on that."