Playing on the road has been a problem for Colorado this season, which is 2-4-1 in its last seven away from the Pepsi Center.

The Avs have lost four straight in the regular season against the Red Wings, failing to score a goal in each of the last three matchups.

Andrew Raycroft is scheduled to start his first game in net for Colorado since November 29. and is 2-1-0 with a 1.85 GAA in three career starts against Detroit. Be sure to pick the winning team in the Bodog Sportsbook's NHL betting.

Anze Kopitar has just one assist in two meetings with the Avalanche this season but has two goals and three assists in four career games in Colorado.

Milan Hejduk has been limited to 14 goals in 35 career games against Los Angeles, but has 28 assists versus the Kings, including one this season, which is the most against any opponent.

The Kings, who are one of the top money teams in the league, are 1-5 in the last six meetings. Be sure to get your NHL betting odds in the Bodog Sportsbook.

The game, which saw four different Avalanche goal scorers included two-assist games from Paul Stastny, Joe Sakic and Wojtek Wolski.

After striking just over six minutes into the first, Hejduk was joined on the score sheet by former Maple Leaf Darcy Tucker. A pair of powerplay goals later (one from Hejduk, the other from Ryan Smythe) and the Avs had all they needed to take a  4-2 lead into the final minutes of the second.

The Stars, led by Loui Eriksson and Brad Richards, would make a push in the third period but eventually fall.

Elsewhere on the NHL schedule, the Toronto Maple Leafs take on Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Rangers try their luck against the reigning champion Detroit Red Wings, and the Calgary Flames duke it out with Alberta rival Edmonton.

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Peter Forsberg and the Colorado Avalanche survived constant pressure from Minnesota to pull of the 3-2 win. (AP Images)

The Minnesota Wild kept the pressure on Colorado Avalanche goalie Joe Theodore all night long, but the 14 year veteran withstood their attack and led Colorado to the 3-2 win.

Theodore stopped 38 of 40 shots, while Andrew Brunette, Wojtek Wolski and Paul Stastny provided the offense to seal the win.

“I just tried to make every save,” Theodore said. “Like I say, they’re a great team and I’m going to have to be ready for the next one.”

The Avalanche now hold a 3-2 series lead and get to finish the Wild at home.

“He was the only reason we were in the game. Great’s not even the word to describe it. Being tied going into the third was almost like winning going into the third,” Colorado coach Joel Quenneville said.

The Avalanche were +110 underdogs in the contest. Get your NHL playoff odds in the Bodog Sportsbook!

Vancouver Canucks Ryan Kesler sends his shot past Colorado Avalanche goaltender Jose Theodore. (AP Images)

It was a rough night for Canucks fans in Vancouver's GM Place when the trailing Avalanche pulled their socks up in the second period as Milan Hejduk and Wojtek Wolski scored 35 seconds apart to cement their place in the playoffs.

Things were looking good for the favorite to win Canucks' Willie Mitchell put a goal past Avalanche goaltender Jose Theodore during the first period. Ryan Kesler scored on the power play at 5:50 of the second to put Vancouver up 2-0. At the beginning of the second period, the Canucks had a solid lead, but allowed the Colorado Avalanche to score three goals in 5-minute span midway through.

It was a rough loss for Vancouver, who also lost winger Taylor Pyatt, who did not return after being hit by Colorado defenceman Jeff Finger in the first period. The loss has moved the Canucks to ninth place, one point behind the Nashville Predators. Both teams have two games remaining.

Along with their playoff spot, the Avs also earned their sixth straight win over Vancouver. Get your NHL betting in the Bodog Sportsbook.

Joe Sakic (R) is glad Peter Forsberg is back playing with the Avs. (AP Images)

Looks like some of that old chemistry is coming back.

In arguably its best display since re-acquiring Peter Forsberg at the trade deadline, the Colorado Avalanche solidified its playoff chances with a resounding 6-3 home ice victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

The Avs snapped what was a 7th place tie with the Canucks in West playoff race with their second straight win. The Canucks, meanwhile, have now lost three straight.

The biggest reason for tonight's victory was the production from the Forsberg-Paul Stastny-Milan Hejduk line. The trio combined for three goals and nine points, with Forsberg getting three assists – his highest single-game total since returning to Colorado.

"I don't know if I'm back yet. Those weren't the prettiest points, but I'll take them anyway," Forsberg told the Associated Press after the game.

The Canucks were listless for most of the night and had All Star netminder Roberto Luongo pulled midway through the second period, when Colorado scored an amazing four goals in just under seven minutes of play. The Canucks are now just two points clear of 9th place Nashville in the ever-so-tight race for the postseason.

Colorado came into this contest as -180 favorites, while the total went above the 5.5 goal mark set by the Bodog Sportsbook.

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Peter Forsberg gets an atta-boy from Joe Sakic. (AP Images)

Foppa is back – finally.

The Colorado Avalanche returned Peter Forsberg to the fold in hopes he could spark a run to the postseason. He went pointless in his first two games and looked weary skating in the NHL for the first time in more than a year. But on Saturday things started to click and the Avs sent notice to the Western Conference that they’re once again formidable.

Behind Forsberg’s two assists, the Avalanche rallied to upend the Dallas Stars, 3-1, at the Pepsi Center. All of Colorado’s goals came in the third period as they found a way to break through against Marty Turco (25 saves).

Scott Hannan and Andrew Brunette scored 2:42 apart in the third period to give the Avalanche a 2-1 lead. Paul Stastny added an empty-netter to close out the scoring.

The Avs paid -130 on the puckline (meaning a winning hockey bet of $130 would net $100). Jose Theodore made 25 saves to earn his sixth win in a row.

In other early NHL action on Saturday:

Montreal 5, Los Angeles 2: The Canadiens tallied three unanswered goals in the second period to break open a scoreless game in Los Angeles. Montreal, which paid -135, could jump back into first place in the Eastern Conference depending on other results.

Boston 2, Washington 1: The Bruins paid -125 at home on third-period goals by Zdeno Chara and Marco Sturm.

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Jose Theodore stops a shot from Shane Doan during Colorado's win. (AP Images)

Two teams struggling to get themselves into the playoffs faced off on Friday night. The desperate fight delivered some outstanding hockey and a great finish.

Phoenix defenseman Derek Morris scored with just three seconds to play in regulation to force overtime then after a scoreless extra session the Coyotes engaged in a marathon shootout with the Avalanche.

Cody McLeod scored in the 12th round of the shootout to lift the Avalanche to a 3-2 victory in Glendale, Ariz.

Paul Stastny and Marek Svatos had regulation-time goals for the Avalanche, who broke a tie for ninth place with the Coyotes and moved within a win of eighth position in the Western Conference.

Phoenix gained one point to move to 67 on the season.

The underdog Avalanche paid +115 on the puckline (meaning a winning hockey bet of $100 would net $115). The betting total was under 5.5 goals. Goalie Jose Theodore made 27 saves and earned a win in the shootout.

In other NHL action on Friday:

Dallas 5, Edmonton 2: Marty Turco made 20 saves and Jere Lehtninen had two goals to lead the Stars, who improved to 10-2 in their last 12 games against the Oilers. Dallas was a -200 favorite at home and the betting total flew over five goals.

Calgary 1, Detroit 0: Miika Kiprusoff made 37 saves and Alex Tanguay scored the game’s only goal as the Flames took care of the short-handed Red Wings. Calgary, a home underdog, paid +105. The Red Wings’ Chris Osgood made 26 saves but it wasn’t enough for the win.

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His team finally won, but Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Lidstrom left in the first period with an injury. (AP Images)

The best team in the NHL, the Detroit Red Wings, came into their game in Colorado as losers of six straight. They broke their losing streak with a 4-0 win over the Avalanche, but the victory came with a cost: a Niklas Lidstrom injury.

Lidstrom left the game in the first period with a reported knee injury, a result of a bodycheck by Colorado's Ian Laperriere. Talk of a concussion is also making the rounds, though that's been denied by team officials. Laperriere's forearm made contact with Lidstrom's jaw, leaving the d-man on wobbly legs as he left the ice. At the moment, there's no word on how many games, if any, Lidstrom will miss.

Henrik Zetterberg notched two goals for the Red Wings, who were -155 favorites, while goalie Chris Osgood put up his 47th career shutout.

The loss was costly for the Avs who were attempting to leapfrog Calgary and Vancouver into seventh spot in the Western Conference. As it stands, Colorado is on the outside looking in for the playoffs.