DENVER, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Rookie Brian Willsie scored his first two goals in more than six weeks and Scott Parker had a career game with three assists Sunday night as the Colorado Avalanche remained hot with a 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild.
Without Ray Bourque and Peter Forsberg, the defending Stanley Cup champions sputtered out of the gate and were below .500 as recently as Nov. 24. But they are unbeaten in 14 of the last 15 games (11-1-3) and climbed one point ahead of idle Edmonton into first place in the Northwest Division.
Willsie had gone nine games without a goal and was a healthy scratch 12 times since Nov. 6. But he forged a 1-1 tie midway through the first period and scored again during a three-goal third to help the Avalanche win for the eighth time in nine meetings with Minnesota.
Parker had just five points in 122 NHL games before setting up both of Willsie's goals and another by Eric Messier.
Patrick Roy surrendered a pair of late goals but stopped 18 shots for his 499th career win. He is 6-1 lifetime against the Wild.
Andrew Brunette had a power-play goal and an assist, but Minnesota failed in a bid for its third straight road win and fell to 2-5-1-1 in its last nine overall. The Wild are 0-5-0 all-time at the Pepsi Center.
