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PHOENIX (AP) -- No matter how hard the Phoenix Coyotes try, Colorado keeps finding a way to win.
The latest installment came Monday night, when Adam Deadmarsh scored twice in the third period -- his first two goals against Phoenix -- to tip the scales in a 4-2 victory that pushed the Coyotes to the edge of elimination.
|  | | Phoenix's Jyrki Lumme sent Colorado's Chris Drury flying, but it was the Coyotes who came crashing down at home. |
The Avalanche have a 3-0 lead in the best-of-7 first-round Western Conference series. The Coyotes must win Game 4 at home Wednesday night to avoid their ninth consecutive first-round exit since 1987.
"For us, the playoffs come at the right time," goalie Patrick Roy said. "The team is playing extremely well and we have a lot of confidence."
Roy was beaten on two of four power plays, but otherwise had 23 saves for his third straight victory and 113th in the postseason.
Shjon Podein and Joe Sakic scored earlier for the Avs, and Keith Tkachuk and Jeremy Roenick had the Phoenix goals.
But not even the leadership of the two first-line forwards could sidetrack Colorado, which showed it didn't need a deluge of power plays to win. The Avalanche had 16 advantages, in winning the first game 6-3 and the second 3-1, and scored five times.
This time, they were 1-for-3, with Sakic scoring. He broke a 1-1 tie with a goal that went off two skates.
Sandis Ozolinsh kicked the puck across the crease, and Phoenix goalie Sean Burke tried to kick it out but only redirected it to Sakic waiting on his left. Burke was falling and could only watch as Sakic lifted the puck over him for the goal with 5:12 left in the second period.
It was the first goal for Sakic, who has three assists, and the fifth point of the playoffs for Ozolinsh. Peter Forsberg started the play with a pass, earning his second assist in as many games since returning from a shoulder injury. He got another assist, setting up Deadmarsh's first goal.
"I thought it was a big character test to get that third one and get the crowd out of the game," Podein said.
Roenick tied it 2-2 when Adam Foote tried to flick the puck out of Colorado's end and Roenick knocked it down and slapped a wobbling shot into the net 6:17 into the third.
But Deadmarsh took the life out of the Coyotes, redirecting a shot by Forsberg only 29 seconds later. He added an empty-netter with 24 seconds to play.
"I was pretty happy about it," said Deadmarsh, who also had an assist. "We stayed composed, we stayed focused and we're going in the right direction."
"We scored a big goal and tied it up 2-2, and it was just a huge blow when they came back to score the next shift," Tkachuk said.
The scoreless first period featured the neutral-zone trap.
The Avs, who outshot Phoenix 73-41 in the first two games, had just one shot in the first 12 minutes. Each team finished the period with six.
Action heated up quickly in the second, which began with 1:11 left in the Coyotes' second power play.
Tkachuk, scoreless since Jan. 31 after missing 24 of the last 27 games, deflected Jyrki Lumme's slap shot from the blue line, and the puck slipped past Roy 49 seconds into the middle period.
Podein, who had two goals in the first game, had a chance to score minutes later on a wraparound, but missed the net when Mika Alatalo knocked him down.
But Podein tied it 9:32 into the second as the Avs flashed the speed and precision that earned them their sixth consecutive division title in the regular season.
Deadmarsh got the puck along the boards, skated into the circle and passed to Chris Drury in the other circle. Drury sent the puck to Podein in the high slot, and his one-timer went in over Burke's shoulder.
"It's not a good feeling to lose," said Burke, who had 22 saves. "We worked hard and we don't have a lot to show for it."
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RECAPS
Ottawa 4
Toronto 3
Pittsburgh 4
Washington 3
Detroit 2
Los Angeles 1
Colorado 4
Phoenix 2
San Jose 2
St. Louis 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Joe Sakic scores his first goal of the series.
avi: 683 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Adam Deadmarsh redirects a Peter Forsberg shot.
avi: 794 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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