CHICAGO, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Adrian Aucoin's second-period power-play goal turned out to be decisive Sunday night as the Chicago Blackhawks beat Colorado, 2-1.
Nikolai Khabibulin finished with 28 saves and Tuomo Ruutu scored his 10th goal of the season for Chicago, which won for the fourth time in its last five games.
Brett McLean scored his sixth goal of the season and Jose Theodore had 23 saves for the Avalanche, who lost for the first time in their last four games.
The Blackhawks opened the scoring in the first period when Ruutu picked up a rebound of Martin Havlat's shot and put it back in the net at 14:48.
McLean got Colorado even at 6:13 of the second, but Aucoin put the puck through traffic for the eventual game winner with 5:02 left in the second.
Chicago went 1-for-3 on the power play. Colorado was 0-for-2.
