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  Wednesday, Jan. 5 9:00pm ET
Denis gets second shutout
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

DENVER (AP) -- The luxury of playing on the same line with Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic was not lost on Adam Deadmarsh.

Adam Deadmarsh, Peter Forsberg
Calgary couldn't stop Colorado's Peter Forsberg, left, and Adam Deadmarsh, who celebrate Deadmarsh's hat trick.

Fed the puck by his linemates, Deadmarsh scored three goals, and rookie Marc Denis recorded his second career shutout as the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 4-0 Wednesday night.

"I'm pretty lucky to play with those two guys," Deadmarsh said. "They're two of the best players in the world. Those two can really turn it on when they skate well.

"We haven't been together that long, but it's a lot of fun to play with them, for sure."

It was Deadmarsh's first career hat trick in 380 NHL games.

"I had one in junior hockey -- a long time ago," Deadmarsh said.

Avalanche coach Bob Hartley said Forsberg and Sakic "were getting Deader the puck, and he has a great shot. We have to be patient with them. They are only in their fourth or fifth game playing together."

The Avalanche got 27 saves from Denis, who recorded his fifth victory of the season and third over the Flames.

Denis' most spectacular stop came in the final period, when his sweeping glove save robbed Jarome Iginla of an apparent open-net goal.

Calgary's Fred Brathwaite had 30 saves.

Forsberg had three assists, and Sakic added a goal and an assist.

Coupled with Edmonton's 1-1 tie with San Jose on Wednesday night, the Avalanche increased their division lead to two points over Edmonton and four over Calgary.

"It was a big game for us," Deadmarsh said. "They are right on our heels in the standings, and Edmonton is right there as well. All games are pretty crucial at this point."

Denis agreed.

"We were aware that Calgary was within reach of us and Edmonton was breathing down our backs," Denis said. "Two points might mean a spot in the playoffs later on. We knew how big it was and we didn't give up much.

"Patrick (regular goalie Patrick Roy) has been playing great for us. I'm just glad to get a chance when I get the call."

Flames coach Brian Sutter said Deadmarsh's goal late in the second period, which made it 2-0, was critical.

"If we're not down by two, we don't have to open things up in the third," he said. "The bottom line is they scored on the power play and we didn't."

Each team had only a single good scoring chance in a defensive and scoreless first period, which saw Calgary outshoot Colorado 11-7. Calgary's Andrei Nazarov and Colorado's Chris Dingman were assessed fighting majors early in the period.

Deadmarsh broke the scoring drought at 4:27 of the second. Forsberg took a shot from just inside the right circle and Deadmarsh, stationed in front of the goal, deflected the puck with his knee past Brathwaite.

Then, just 14 seconds after former Colorado wing Rene Corbet went off for high-sticking, Sandis Ozolinsh hit Deadmarsh in stride behind defenseman Bobby Dollas at the blue line, and Deadmarsh scored from the left circle at 17:33.

Both of the goals in the period came on power plays. Colorado outshot Calgary 16-6 in the second.

Sakic made it 3-0 at 3:08 of the third. Martin Skoula carried the puck behind the net and sent a pass in the right circle to Forsberg, who then found an open Sakic left of the goal.

Forsberg's steal started a sequence that led to Deadmarsh's third goal and 11th of the season, from the right circle, at 16:39.

Calgary got off only two shots during its three power-play opportunities.

In its three games against Calgary this season, Colorado has outscored the Flames 16-3.
 


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