NHL: Colorado 2, Tampa Bay 1 (SO)

TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Milan Hejduk was credited with a controversial shootout goal Thursday that gave the Colorado Avalanche a 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay.

After no one managed to score during the first three rounds of the shootout, Hejduk was awarded a goal when officials ruled that Tampa Bay goaltender Mike Smith had thrown his stick in an attempt to block the shot.

Smith lost control of the stick as he slid to his right to try to make the save. The puck hit Smith's right blocker and did not go in the goal and Smith argued heatedly that he did not intentionally throw his stick.

The call stood, however, and Andrew Raycroft then made a glove save on Martin St. Louis to end the contest.

Raycroft made 37 saves and Paul Stastny scored the lone Colorado goal in regulation.

Tampa Bay's goal came from Jeff Halpern, who made his season debut after having knee surgery last summer.