STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- With Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic missing, another center stepped up big for the Colorado Avalanche.

Alex Tanguay scored three goals, capping his hat trick with an empty-netter, as the Stanley Cup champions rallied to beat Swedish Elite League team Brynas 5-3 Sunday.

Before the game, players and fans in the soldout arena observed a moment of silence in honor of the victims from the terrorist attacks on the United States.

Forsberg, who had his spleen removed on May 10 and also had ankle surgery this summer, announced Saturday he's taking a break from the game. Sakic is sidelined with a slight groin pull.

Representatives of American Airlines, sponsoring the exhibition games, were not present in the arena.

"At this time our thoughts and prayers go out to all those touched by this terrible tragedy and our employees are working with these families to assist however we can," the airlines said in a statement.

The Avs trailed 2-0 after two periods and 3-1 midway through the third before finally waking up on the large European ice surface.

"They really played unbelievable," Tanguay said. "We didn't know anything about them. But they played outstanding and in the first they caught us off-guard.

"I don't think we were ready for them. They can move the puck. It was a lot of fun with the bigger ice surface. We're not used to that."

Tanguay scored his first goal with a slap shot from the point that cut Brynas' lead to 2-1. Mikko Luovi gave the Swedish team a two-goal cushion again three minutes later.

But Tanguay set up Milan Hejduk's tap-in backhander that made it 3-2. He tied the score with 4:52 remaining and, only 20 seconds later, Stephane Yelle tipped in Colorado's fourth goal from close range.

Tanguay completed his hat trick with 19 seconds left after Brynas pulled goalie Mattias Pettersson for an extra attacker.

Patrick Roy gave up two goals before being replaced by backup goalie David Aebischer midway through the second period.

Two other games were canceled, and the Avs will return to Denver on Monday.