DENVER (Ticker) -- Sellout crowds have been watching big moments at the Pepsi Center for nine years. Peter Forsberg and Philippe Sauve produced two more.
Forsberg recorded his 500th career assist and Sauve made 27 saves for his first NHL win as the Avalanche rallied for a 2-1 victory over the struggling Phoenix Coyotes.
Since moving from Quebec in 1995, Colorado has played before 400 consecutive sellouts, the longest streak in NHL history.
In this one, the Avalanche rallied in the third period for the third straight game behind Joe Sakic and Forsberg. Colorado scored twice in the final period against the New York Rangers and Minnesota, then did it again vs. Phoenix.
"I think it was great for us to get a win tonight," Forsberg said. "These are the games you have to win even if you don't play good. In the third period we said short-shift and just outworked them. If we have short shifts and work hard, we're going to outwork most of the teams."
The two tallies brought Colorado's total for the third period to 679 since 1995. The Avalanche have scored six of their nine third-period goals this season in the last three game, and the two against the Coyotes came after they couldn't score on any of 18 shots in the second.
Sakic tied it at 2:27 and Forsberg set up Milan Hejduk's power-play goal just over nine minutes later.
Sauve, who made his Pepsi Center debut in relief of David Aebischer in Tuesday's 4-4 tie with the Wild, got his first home start. His only mistake was a giveaway that led to Chris Gratton's tally midway through the second.
"It feels real good," Sauve said. "After those first two starts, it was a real weight lifted off my shoulders."
"We are real happy for Phil to get his first win," Forsberg added.
Sean Burke made 29 saves for the Coyotes, whose winless streak hit nine games (0-6-3).
Sauve overcame the errant clearing pass and withstood the Coyotes' late flurry.
Phoenix, which has not won since October 15, got on the board with 9 1/2 minutes remaining in the second. Suave stopped Radoslav Suchy's blast from the left faceoff circle but had his clearing attempt intercepted by the defenseman, whose centering pass went to Gratton.
Gratton put a wrist shot into a half-open net for his second goal of the season.
But after a frustrating 40 minutes, Colorado got a pair of nice plays to take the lead.
Sakic scored his 512th career goal, tying Gilbert Perrault for 28th place on the all-time list. Burke stopped Teemu Selanne's blast from the right circle, but Steve Konowalchuk gathered the rebound and got it to Sakic, who cut across the crease, shifted to his backhand and slid the puck under Burke.
"Things happened pretty quick on that one," Burke said. "We were kind of scrambling, he gave it to Sakic in front and he made a pretty good move on me."
Forsberg, who missed the previous three games with a groin injury, set up Hejduk's ninth goal. Just 15 seconds into defenseman Paul Mara's roughing penalty, Forsberg skated behind the net and got Burke to think he was headed to the circle.
But Forsberg waited for Hejduk to skate down the right wing and passed to his linemate, whose one-timer eluded Burke.
"We got ourselves in the penalty box and you saw two elite players make the difference in the game," Coyotes coach Bob Francis said. "Great play by Forsberg and Hejduk. We've seen that before."
Forsberg joined Sakic (814) and Peter Stastny (668) as the only players in franchise history to reach the 500-assist milestone.
