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BOX SCORE
DENVER (AP) -- Even without Peter Forsberg, the Colorado Avalanche had plenty of scoring punch to handle the Phoenix Coyotes.
Sandis Ozolinsh, who failed to score a goal in the final 20 games of the regular season, scored twice Thursday night as the Avalanche beat the Coyotes 6-3 in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
|  | | Ray Bourque and the Avalanche refused to be held back by Jeremy Roenick's Coyotes. |
Shjon Podein added two goals for the Avalanche, who shrugged off the absence of injured star Forsberg to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series. Game 2 is Saturday in Denver.
"When you want to go the distance in the playoffs, you've got to have everybody chipping in," Podein said. "I thought we did a good job with everybody coming up to the plate and playing a hard game."
The sixth-seeded Coyotes got off to a horrible start as they attempt to advance past the first round for the first time in 13 years. Colorado led 4-0 after one period and Phoenix got no closer than two goals the rest of the way.
"The first period wasn't the start we wanted," goalie Sean Burke said. "We just weren't good enough. I wasn't good enough. You can't give up four goals in the first period and expect to beat a team like that."
The Coyotes made things interesting as Travis Green and Shane Doan scored less than three minutes apart early in the second, but Alex Tanguay put home a rebound to put the Avalanche up 5-2 heading into the final 20 minutes.
"I didn't think it was as bad as the score indicated," Phoenix coach Bob Francis said. "When you make a mistake against a quality opponent, it is going to end up in your net. The moral of the story is to eliminate your mistakes."
With Colorado playing conservative, Phoenix again pulled within two when Teppo Numminem corralled a loose puck in front of the net and beat Patrick Roy with 11:42 left.
Podein put the game out of reach four minutes later, scoring on a long shot that went through Burke's legs. Ray Bourque, trying to win his first Stanley Cup in 21 seasons, got his second assist of the game to move into a tie for fourth on the NHL's career postseason list.
"That sixth goal was huge for us to keep it a three-goal cushion," Bourque said. "If they get the next one, we're in trouble. It's a long way from being over. It's going to be a battle the whole way. We've got one win under our belts, but we know it's going to get tougher as we go on."
After winning their final eight games of the regular season, Colorado carried the momentum into the opening period as Podein scored at 4:23 to ignite the Avalanche offense.
Dave Andreychuk, who came to Colorado in a March 6 trade with Bourque, converted a give-and-go with Chris Drury on a power play at 8:10, and Ozolinsh added another power-play goal six minutes
later.
It was Ozolinsh's first goal since Feb. 22, and he got his second at 18:14 as he hit a slap shot from the top of the left circle that sailed over Burke's right arm.
The added scoring punch from Ozolinsh helped absorb the loss of Forsberg, who is out indefinitely while he recovers from a separated right shoulder.
"He scored big goals for us, and he played a very solid game," Roy said. "Not just because he scored points, but the way he played all around. That's what we need from Ozo."
Neither goalie was particularly sharp. Roy stopped 12 shots to win his NHL-record 111th playoff game, and Burke had 32 saves in his first postseason game since 1998.
Burke didn't get much help from Phoenix's top scoring line of Jeremy Roenick, Keith Tkachuk and Mikael Renberg. The trio combined for one shot.
"They covered us pretty well, especially myself and Keith," said Roenick, who led the Coyotes with 34 goals and 44 assists. "They handled us pretty well tonight and didn't give us much room.
"... One game doesn't make a series."
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Phoenix Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 3
Buffalo 2
Detroit 2
Los Angeles 0
New Jersey 4
Florida 3
Pittsburgh 7
Washington 0
Dallas 3
Edmonton 0
Colorado 6
Phoenix 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Dave Andreychuk scores on the give-and-go with Chris Drury.
avi: 928 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Shane Doan deflects the puck into the net, cutting the lead to 2.
avi: 993 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Shjon Podein beats Sean Burke for his second goal of the game.
avi: 997 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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