DENVER, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Joe Sakic continues to find ways to neutralize the Tampa Bay Lightning. He scored the eventual game-winner early in the third period as the Colorado Avalanche held on for a 2-1 win over the Lightning Tuesday night.
Sakic, who has 11 goals and 17 assists in 18 games against Tampa Bay, scored at 2:11 of the final period to give Colorado a 2-0 lead. The Avalanche captain scored on a wrist shot as Alex Tanguay set up a screen in front of goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin.
The Lightning halved the deficit 38 seconds later when Vaclav Prospal scored on a wrist shot from the slot.
But Patrick Roy made 19 saves to improve to 3-1-0.
Stephane Yelle opened the scoring midway through the second period. Dan Hinote sent a backhanded pass to Yelle at the top of the crease, where he picked up his own rebound and put a wrist shot between Khabibulin's pads.
Tampa Bay struggled to generate offense, recording nine shots through two periods, failing to take advantage of five power-play chances, losing its bid for a third straight win and concluding a 2-2 Western road trip.
