- (Sports Network) - Marek Svatos ended a goaltending clinic from both sides with the game-winning score in the shootout to lift Colorado over Vancouver, 2-1, at General Motors Place. Paul Stastny registered a third-period goal to tie and extend the game and Peter Budaj, who was coming off a shutout of the Nashville Predators on Saturday, denied Vancouver on 31-of-32 shots to claim victory.

The Avalanche have now won two straight behind stellar play from Budaj coming off a five-game losing streak.

Roberto Luongo, having entered the game with three straight shutouts, eclipsed his own franchise-record scoreless streak by blanking Colorado over the first 41:28 to reach 242 minutes and 36 seconds of scoreless hockey. The 29-year-old stopped 33-of-34 shots and had not allowed a goal since the second period of a loss to Detroit on November 2.

"I don't really care about the (scoreless) streak," Luongo said. "The goal tonight was the two points and we fell short of that, so that's more disappointing than anything else."

Taylor Pyatt scored on a penalty shot in the second period for Vancouver, which had a three-game winning streak halted.

Following a stunning display of goaltending in regulation and a scoreless extra session, Budaj started the shootout with an acrobatic, sprawling stop of Kyle Wellwood.

Wojtek Wolski then faked forehand and dragged the puck behind him, easily sliding a backhander past Luongo. Budaj stoned Pyatt on a backhand attempt, giving Milan Hejduk a chance to win it but Luongo saved a wrister in close.

Alex Burrows then deked forehand, and calmly lifted a backhander up an over Budaj, but Svatos came back and snapped off a quick shot into the top right corner for the win.

"I'm hoping it's going to bring me a little higher (confidence) when it comes to shooting," Svatos said. "I had a few chances the last few games, I couldn't bury it. It's tough mentally, but you try and stay positive and hope that's going to get me going."

A scoreless first period would have been uneventful if not for both goalies extending their scoreless streaks -- Luongo with 16 stops -- while Budaj reached five straight frames of scoreless hockey dating back to a 3-1 loss to Minnesota last Thursday.

"I felt great at the start," Budaj said. "We played really good. I think our puck control was really well. I think when we didn't have a play, our players came back and made a smart play in our zone."

Goaltending was the story of the middle frame as well with Luongo logging his 11th consecutive scoreless period while the offense was able to get one past Budaj, but it took a penalty shot to do it.

With Pyatt breaking in on net, one defender hooked his arm while another slashed him across the hands, breaking his stick. Pyatt was directed to center ice and waited until the last moment before snapping off a quick wrister high and over Budaj's glove 2:43 into the second.

Luongo's shutout streak finally came to a close 1:28 into the third. Mason Raymond took a tripping minor with 18 seconds left in the second and Colorado was able to take advantage with a power-play marker, tying the game at 1-1. Defenseman Sami Salo was upended in front and lay on the ice as the puck was batted around just outside the crease in a furious scrum and Stastny, after several tries, poked the puck into the net.

Vancouver was awarded a power play when T.J. Hensick was whistled for delay of game 6:34 into the period, but Budaj made a series of spectacular stops to keep the game tied. Ryan Smyth was then called for hooking 2:27 later and the Canucks worked the puck to perfection up a man but Budaj continued his mastery between the pipes and made a point-blank stop on Henrik Sedin.

The tables then turned as the Avalanche garnered a 5-on-3 thanks to a pair of delay of game penalties on Vancouver separated by 59 seconds. Luongo was up to the task, though, and fittingly made a stunning save on a one-timer from Wolski off a cross-ice pass with 1.9 seconds remaining.

Not surprisingly, the netminders kept the opposing team off the scoreboard in overtime, this despite the Canucks' Alexander Edler taking a hooking minor with 30 seconds left.

Game Notes

Colorado has won nine of its last 12 against the Canucks and six of its last seven in Vancouver...The Avs began a three-game road trip Wednesday and are now 3-4-0 as the visiting club this year....Vancouver logged the fifth contest of a season-long six-game homestand Wednesday and is now 5-3-0 as the host this year...The Canucks host Toronto on Saturday while the Avs travel to Edmonton.





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