DENVER (AP) — It's back to the future for the Colorado Avalanche.

The club has hired former Avs goaltender Patrick Roy (wah) as head coach and vice president of hockey operations. He'll work in the front office alongside Joe Sakic (SAK'-ihk), who was recently promoted to executive vice president of hockey operations.

The Avalanche won two Stanley Cup titles with the duo on the ice and the organization is hoping they can help turn around a downtrodden team.

Roy becomes the sixth coach in Avalanche history and the 14th in franchise history. The team began in the WHA as the Quebec Nordiques in 1972 and joined the NHL seven years later.

Roy has spent the last eight seasons as coach and general manager of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, winning the 2006 Memorial Cup. He is also a part owner of the QMJHL franchise.

UNDATED (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks had a wonderful regular season, finishing first overall after setting an NHL record by going their first 24 games without a regulation loss. None of that will mean much if they don't win their next three games.

The top-seeded Blackhawks trail No. 7 Detroit 3-1 in the Western Conference semifinals after Jimmy Howard turned back 28 shots in the Red Wings' 2-0 win over Chicago. Howard made half of his saves in the first period, but Corey Crawford was just as stingy until Jakub Kindl (YAH'-kuhb KIN'-dul) beat him midway through the game.

Howard needed to stop just six shots in the third period despite facing two power plays, one coming with 4:43 remaining and Detroit clinging to a 1-0 lead.

Daniel Cleary iced the victory by scoring into an empty net with 39 seconds remaining.

The Red Wings can advance to the conference finals by winning Saturday in Chicago, where the Blackhawks will try to end their season-worst three-game losing streak.

There was also a shutout in Los Angeles as Jonathan Quick handled 24 shots to lead the Kings past San Jose 3-0. The Kings own a three-games-to-two lead in the Western Conference semifinals following Quick's sixth shutout since the last year's playoffs.

Neither team scored until Anze Kopitar (AHN'-zhay KOH'-pih-tahr) beat Antti Niemi (AN'-tee nee-EH'-mee) with 1:52 left in the second period. Sergei Voynov added an early third-period tally before Jeff Carter poked in an empty-netter.

Niemi made 26 saves for the Sharks, who host Game 6 on Saturday.

The Boston Bruins were unable to complete a four-game sweep of the Rangers in the Eastern Conference finals.

New York is still alive after Chris Kreider (KRY'-dur) scored at 7:03 of overtime to lift the Blueshirts past the Bruins 4-3. The Rangers erased 2-0 and 3-2 deficits before Kreider notched his first goal of the postseason.

The Bruins were looking pretty good after Nathan Horton and Torey Krug (kroog) scored 3:02 apart to give them a two-goal lead at the 7:49 mark of the second period. Derek Stepan (STEP'-ahn) eventually tied it 75 seconds into the third period and set up Brian Boyle's goal with 10 minutes left in regulation.

Henrik Lundqvist turned back 37 shots for the Rangers, who head to Boston for Game 5 on Saturday.

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