Roy Sets NHL Win Record

Patrick Roy had to work overtime to top Terry Sawchuk.

The Colorado goalie set an NHL record with his 448th career victory as the Avalanche topped the Washington Capitals 4-3 Tuesday night on Peter Forsberg's goal 2:27 into the extra session.

Roy snapped a tie with Sawchuk, who held the mark once considered unbreakable since 1970. Sawchuk earned his 447th victory in his 968th game while Roy won No. 448 in his 847th game.

"I was honest when I said I wanted to enjoy it and didn't feel any pressure," Roy said.

The record was broken in Roy's first attempt. He tied Sawchuk's mark last Saturday with a victory over expansion Columbus.

"I didn't want my wife and friends to follow for too long," Roy said. "I wanted to end it as soon as possible."

Roy has won the Vezina Trophy three times and been a member of three Stanley Cup champions. His 14 seasons of winning at least 20 games is a record.

Roy finished with 27 saves, repeatedly robbing the Capitals from in close. During a postgame ceremony, Roy cut the net away from the last goal he defended.

When Forsberg scored on the power play, Roy skated out of the net and jumped several times, waving his arms.

Forsberg redirected Ray Bourque's slap shot past Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig. Standing just in front of the right post, Forsberg pushed the puck into the net, starting a wild celebration.

Roy raced out toward his teammates, who streamed on the ice like it was the end of a playoff series. They met him at the blue line in front of the Colorado bench.

"It's fun. The guys deserve all the credit," Roy said. "It's fun now to be where I am. The persons in front of me deserve all the credit."

The net Roy cut will be taken to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Richard Zednik's five-minute penalty for cross-checking, early in overtime, gave Colorado (4-0-2) a three-minute power-play that set up the winning goal. Avalanche forward Adam Foote took a two-minute elbowing penalty for elbowing at the same time and Colorado scored just 56 seconds later.

The Capitals were one of only $ive teams against which Roy had a record of .500 or less. He was 10-10-2 against Washington entering the game.

The loss gave the Capitals (0-4-2) their worst start since 1993-94. Washington lost its first six games that year before rebounding to win nine of 10.

Coorado gave Roy an early cushion when Alex Tanguay fired a slap shot past Kolzig on the Avalanche's first shot just 1:11 into the game.

Roy made 10 saves in the first period alone, and the Avalanche made it 2-0 when Milan Hejduk flipped a backhand rebound over Kolzig with 3:28 left. Washington sliced the lead to 2-1 when Ulf Dahlen poked a loose puck past Roy from in front.

Peter Bondra tied it with 3:52 left in the second period. Steve Konowalchuk broke up a Colorado clear, and Bondra pounced on the loose puck and fired it past Roy.

Bondra then scored 25 seconds into the third period, breaking in alone on a power play and sliding a shot just inside the left post. The goal gave the Capitals their first lead of the season.

But Colorado's Joe Sakic forced overtime with a power-play goal 3:02 later. Both teams had several scoring chances in the final minutes of regulation but couldn't convert.

It was the first time this season Roy allowed as many as three goals in a game.

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