Spielbericht Colorado - Dallas :
DENVER (Ticker) -- Peter Forsberg did the work, but Radim Vrbata got the goal for the Colorado Avalanche.
Vrbata scored with 12:42 remaining in the third period as the Avalanche rallied for a 1-1 season-opening tie with the Dallas Stars, who got 40 saves from new No. 1 goaltender Marty Turco.
The defending Northwest Division champions trailed virtually throughout as Turco came up with a series of big stops. But a spectacular solo effort by Forsberg helped Colorado maintain the NHL's best record in season openers.
Forsberg charged across the top of the slot, broke down the right side and circled behind the net before his wraparound attempt failed to click.
"I tried to go around and try the wraparound and it was very close to going in," said Forsberg, who tracked down his own rebound and passed to Joe Sakic, whose shot was stopped.
But Vrbata, one of the players being counted on to pick up the slack following the recent trade of Chris Drury, stuffed home the rebound.
"There was a big rebound and it was an open net," Vrbata said.
"It was nice, but still, we have 81 games. It's just my second year and I'm still trying to learn the game."
Both teams had a power play in overtime but could not score as the Stars' unbeaten streak in season openers reached seven games (4-0-3).
"(Turco) bailed us out," Dallas first-year coach Dave Tippett said. "We had a great start but shot ourselves in the foot a few times and gave them momentum. Once they got the momentum, we spent a lot of time in the penalty box and we struggled to get the momentum back."
The Stars had all the momentum early, collecting the first 12 shots of the game and grabbing the lead 4:20 into the opening period on rookie Niko Kapanen's first NHL goal.
After taking a long cross-ice pass from newcomer Bill Guerin in the neutral zone, Kapanen skated down the left side and wristed a shot that was blocked by defenseman Rob Blake. But the puck came right back to the 24-year-old Finn, who slid a wrister past goalie Patrick Roy and inside the far goalpost.
"It was an excellent pass and I got up full speed," Kapanen said. "I tried to shoot the first one, shot again, and it was an empty net."
"I felt great from the get-go," said Roy, who made 24 saves in his 14th consecutive opening night start. "I thought the first goal was bad luck. I thought it was important for me to have a good start and keep the guys in the game."
The Avalanche did not get their first shot until just under 12 minutes into the game. But they stormed back late in the opening period as Sakic tested Turco with a rebound from the low slot during a power play. Seconds earlier, Mike Keane jabbed a loose puck past Turco, but play was whistled down for a penalty.
Colorado was back on the power play early in the second period when Turco made a right pad stop on Alex Tanguay and Milan Hejduk put a deflection off the outside of the right goalpost.
"I guess I'm content now (with the tie), but there's a lot of work to do," said Turco, who became the starter after Ed Belfour was traded away. "Personally, I felt great, regardless of how the game went or the score."
"He played great," added Guerin, the Stars' big offseason acquisition. "He made big saves at big times, and we're going to need that throughout the year."
Dallas gave the Avalanche seven consecutive power plays in the second and third period but survived.
"It was a battle on the road that we found a way to get a point out of," Tippett said. "As long as (Turco) stops the puck, he can do whatever he wants. Just stop the puck."
Stars center Jason Arnott suffered an apparent right ankle injury when he was taken down awkwardly by Vaclav Nedorost midway through the third period. He winced in pain, had to be helped off the ice and will be re-evaluated Thursday.
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