Wojtek Wolski responded to his punishment like the little boy who, one day after getting sent to his room without supper, scrubbed the bathtub spotless, picked up all his dirty laundry and remembered to put the lid down after flushing.
Any parent out there disciplining their kids can only dream they get the kind of response from a trip to the woodshed that Wolski gave Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville on Saturday night.
Wolski, after being benched one game by Quenneville for unsatisfactory performance, had a goal and three assists in Colorado’s 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at the Pepsi Center.
The Avs, after losing four straight games, have won four of the past five games, including their third in as many meetings with the Canucks.
“I was upset at myself that I didn’t play (Wednesday) night,” Wolski said. “The coaching staff has given me plenty of opportunity, and I’ve just got to make sure that I play well.”
Wolski did, along with rookie linemate Paul Stastny. The two were, by far, the best Avalanche forwards on the night, dominating the game at key times. That included a first period in which the Avs built a 2-0 lead, and a third period in which Wolski scored a goal to get the Avs breathing room with a 3-1 lead.
“I think we gave more effort and took the skill out of the game a little bit tonight,” said Stastny, who played a sensational all-around game with a goal and two assists. “We got it down low, and from there made plays. It’s all about the forecheck; the first two guys can control the puck, and that’s what we did.”
Mark Rycroft was the beneficiary of Wolski’s first fine play of the first period. Wolski took Stastny’s lead pass on the left side and had a 2-on-1 with Rycroft on the other side. Wolski faked a shot, freezing goalie Roberto Luongo, and slid the puck across to Rycroft, who guided the puck in off his skate. The goal withstood video review, as it was not a clear kicking motion.
Wolski made a great sequence of plays on the Avs’ second goal, at 17:45 of the first period to make it 2-0. First, he knocked Canucks defenseman Willie Mitchell off the puck with a big hit behind the net. Then, he patiently stickhandled and fed a centering pass to Stastny that the rookie one-timed into the net.
“I’m a big guy, and if I’m not using my body, it’s definitely a minus,” Wolski said.
The Canucks played a very good second period, but didn’t get anything past Jose Theodore (28 saves, 3-0 vs. Vancouver), who was quick on his feet and did not allow the kinds of rebounds that have occasionally plagued him this season.
Theodore did not allow any rebound on the first shot he saw in the third period. That’s because defenseman Kevin Bieksa got nothing but net with his screened shot from the blue line for Vancouver, at the 35-second mark. That cut the Avs’ lead in half and it seemed it might be the usual white-knuckle ride that has characterized Avalanche third periods with a lead this season.
Wolski loosened some of the pressure starting to grip the Avs, however, with a goal that made it 3-1.
Staff writer Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com.
