Avalanche 4, Mighty Ducks 3, OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Milan Hejduk did his part to keep the Colorado Avalanche in contention for an unprecedented ninth straight division title.

Hejduk scored two goals, including the game-winner with 10 seconds left in overtime, as the Avalanche beat Anaheim 4-3 Friday night.

The win was Colorado's first in four games against the Mighty Ducks this season.

``We earned it,'' coach Tony Granato said after Colorado secured home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. ``They fought like crazy, but we knew they would.''

Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote also scored for the Avalanche, who need a victory over St. Louis in their regular-season finale Sunday and a loss by Vancouver against Los Angeles to win the Northwest Division crown.

``Great win for us,'' goaltender Patrick Roy said. ``It forces Vancouver to make sure they play a big game Sunday.''

In addition to the Northwest Division title, the Art Ross Trophy for the league's leading point producer, and the Rocket Richard Trophy for the league's top goal-scorer will be determined Sunday, with the winner coming from either Colorado or Vancouver.

Hejduk has a career-high 49 goals, one more than Markus Naslund, who leads the league with 104 points. Forsberg has 28 goals and 103 points.

Hejduk had his first goal just 72 seconds after the opening faceoff, carrying the puck into the Anaheim zone and scoring on a 30-foot wrist shot from the slot as Anaheim goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere fanned on it with his stick.

``I'd like to get 50,'' Hejduk said. ``It's not something you can do every year, and it would be in a big game.''

Hejduk ended this one when he cruised down the slot and redirected defenseman Rob Blake's centering pass from the top of the right circle. It was the 23rd goal in 29 games for Hejduk.

Colorado's seventh overtime victory was a franchise record, and tied an NHL single-season mark of 28 overtime games played, set three seasons ago by Edmonton and Vancouver.

Anaheim's Steve Thomas had two goals, along with his 500th NHL assist. Niclas Havelid also scored for the Ducks, who completed the most successful regular season in their 10-year history with 95 points and a 40-27-9-6 record.< ^Notes:@ The Ducks took a seven-game unbeaten streak into the 1997 playoffs and advanced to the second round, where they were swept by Detroit. They were 1-5-2 in their last eight before the 1999 postseason and were swept in the first round by the Red Wings. ... Anaheim won the season series from Colorado for the first time. A 5-3 win at Denver on Jan. 9 that ended a 0-6-1 slide and triggered a 12-4-0 stretch and turned the Ducks' season around. ... The Avalanche finished 21-10-5-5 on the road. ... Thomas has 10 goals in 12 games since coming to Anaheim in a March 11 trade from Chicago. ... Avalanche captain Joe Sakic hasn't scored in his last nine games, his longest drought this season.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)