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 Forsberg replaced Ryan Smyth on the second line to start the second period, and the line of Hejduk (two goals, one assist), Paul Stastny (one goal, two assists) and Forsberg combined for nine points after that.
With his three assists, Forsberg doubled his total since rejoining the Avalanche on March 4, nine days after signing with a $1 million deal for the remainder of the season. He has yet to score a goal.
The Avalanche broke a seventh-place tie with the Canucks in the tight Western Conference playoff race with their second straight win on home ice following a four-game skid. The Canucks lost their third straight.
Daniel Sedin and Taylor Pyatt scored to give Vancouver a 2-1 lead in the first period.
Colorado turned the deficit into a 5-2 lead by 11:31 of the second period, after which Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault pulled goaltender Robert Luongo and replaced him with Curtis Sanford.
Stastny, Cody McLeod, Hejduk and Ben Guite scored goals in a 6 1/2-minute span as the Avs matched a season-high for goals in a period.
Stastny's 23rd goal tied it at 4:54 and followed a great pass to Hejduk from Forsberg, who moved up to the second line after playing on the third line to limit his minutes while dealing with a pulled groin. Hejduk's shot hit the left post and Stastny sent the rebound shot past Luongo.
A minute later, McLeod's fourth goal of the season, off a long pass from John-Michael Liles, put the Avs in front 3-2, and Hejduk made it 4-2 with his 24th goal on assists from Stastny and Forsberg.
A minute after that, Guiete's 11th goal forced the Canucks to switch goalies.
Jose Theodore, who had allowed just seven goals in his first four starts against Vancouver, allowed his third of the night with 9.4 seconds left in the second period when Sami Salo scored from the right point to pull the Canucks to 5-3.
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Hejduk made it 6-3 with a wrist shot 23 seconds into the third period.
Theodore improved to 4-0-1 against Vancouver this season with a 2.00 goals-against average.
Notes: Hejduk, who scored his 31st and 32nd career goals against Vancouver, moved into fifth place on Colorado's all-time list by appearing in his 697th career game. ... The teams conclude their season series April 1 at Vancouver. ... Avs D Adam Foote (hip) missed his third straight game.
[Associated Press; By ARNIE STAPLETON]
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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