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Associated Press

The Colorado Avalanche look to remain unbeaten in regulation against the Columbus Jackets when the teams meet for the third time this season on Tuesday.

Colorado has posted a pair of victories at Columbus this season to extend its win streak in the series to seven games since a 5-4 shootout loss on Feb. 28, 2004 - its only defeat in 22 all-time meetings. The Avs have 20 wins and a tie in the other contests, and have won all 10 matchups at home.

Columbus (7-16-2) is coming off a 4-0 win at Edmonton on Saturday that snapped a five-game losing streak on the road and improved the team to 3-9-0 away from home this season.

Colorado (12-12-2), meanwhile, lost for the second time in three games Saturday, 2-1 at Vancouver. The Avs also lost starting goaltender Jose Theodore to a hip flexor injury.

Theodore, who is listed as day-to-day, stopped all six shots he faced in the first period before being replaced by Peter Budaj to start the second.

"Hip flexor," said coach Joel Quenneville. "Similar to a groin pull."

Budaj lost four of his first six appearances this season, but has posted a 2.22 goals-against average in winning three of his last four starts. He was sharp early Saturday before allowing two power-play goals, and the Avs found the back of the net only once despite putting 41 shots on goal.

Colorado went 0-for-4 on the power play.

"We lost, we didn't get any point, what do you want to take out of it? That we had over 40 shots?" forward Ian Laperriere said. "Our special teams need to be better. You won't win games if your special teams are not strong."

Columbus has killed off 15 straight penalties over the last three games, including five in Saturday's victory over the Oilers. The Blue Jackets held their third straight opponent to fewer than three goals, as backup Fredrik Norrena made 21 saves to earn his second straight win and first career shutout.

"We were pretty upset after our last game," said Anson Carter, who was referring to Columbus' 2-1 loss at Calgary on Friday night. "We had a pretty solid road game but didn't play well enough to win. That's not good enough for us anymore."

Columbus' last three losses have come by one goal, and the team has one of the worst records in the league in one-goal games, going 2-6-2.

"We've been in one-goal games everywhere," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "This time we were on the right side of one. This team has a great spirit, and we fight and we battle."




SCHEDULE

HOME
AWAY
PROMOTIONAL

STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39

STATS

2012-2013 REGULAR SEASON
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
V. Prospal 48 12 18 3 30
M. Letestu 46 13 14 7 27
M. Gaborik 47 12 15 -3 27
F. Tyutin 48 4 18 9 22
B. Dubinsky 29 2 18 2 20
N. Foligno 45 6 13 6 19
J. Johnson 44 5 14 -5 19
A. Anisimov 35 11 7 -6 18
C. Atkinson 35 9 9 9 18
R. Umberger 48 8 10 3 18
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
S. Bobrovsky 21 11 6 .932 2.00
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