/ Reuters

Colorado left wing Steve Konowalchuk scores against Edmonton goalie Ty Conklin in the third period Tuesday.

updated 4:11 p.m. ET Jan. 28, 2004

DENVER - Peter Forsberg is never satisfied.

Even after scoring two goals for the second straight game since returning from a groin injury, Forsberg was his own worst critic.

“I scored a couple of goals, but it was my fault on their goal,” Forsberg said Tuesday night after leading the Colorado Avalanche past the Edmonton Oilers 3-1.

“I was dead tired, to be honest with you, in the first period. I can be better. It was just two lucky goals. I’ll keep working and get back into condition.”

Forsberg, who missed four straight games, returned Saturday against Pittsburgh and had two goals and an assist. Forsberg also had two goals in the last game he played before his injury, Jan. 15 against Dallas.

He has scored points in each of his last 10 games, but the NHL doesn’t count that as a scoring streak because of the injury absence.

“Peter made the big plays,” Avalanche coach Tony Granato said. “I thought he changed the momentum, along with Joe (Sakic), Paul (Kariya) and a lot of the guys we had killing penalties.”

Colorado’s David Aebischer had 33 saves, including 17 in the second period, and earned an assist on one of Forsberg’s goals.

“I didn’t have a good first period,” Aebischer said. “We were lucky that one goal was disallowed and another shot hit the post. That second period got me into the game.”

Edmonton rookie goalie Ty Conklin had 19 saves.

Steve Konowalchuk had the other Colorado goal, and Radek Dvorak scored for Edmonton.

“There were a lot of missed opportunities tonight,” Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said. “We could have walked out of here with a win, but it adds up to another disappointing loss for a club that can’t afford any more. We’ve got to find a way to generate more offense, some more fire in our game and more desperation than we’ve had.”

Colorado, the Western Conference points leader, is 12-1-1-1 in its last 15 games. Edmonton has lost three straight.

Oilers forward Mike York fractured a finger in the second period and didn’t return.

Dvorak’s goal gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead in the first period.

The Oilers had an apparent goal by Ryan Smyth disallowed at 5:22. After consulting video replay, referee Dan O’Halloran ruled that Smyth kicked the puck into the net with his left skate.

Five minutes later, Dvorak got a goal that counted. The Oilers dug the puck out of the left corner, and Dvorak scored from the slot at 10:42.

Smyth hit the right post with a shot later in the period, and Sakic fired wide on a two-on-one rush.

Forsberg got the lone goal of the second period, his 13th.

Seven minutes into the period, Edmonton had outshot Colorado 9-0, but the Avalanche regrouped. Forsberg chipped in his own rebound from just left of the goal at 11:24.

Edmonton, which outshot Colorado 17-6 in the period, had three straight power plays but couldn’t convert.

Forsberg scored again at 6:18 of the third period during Colorado’s first power play of the game. He skated from the left boards to the right side, eluding a defender, and beat Conklin from the right circle. Aebischer got the second assist on the goal, playing the puck just outside of the net and passing to Derek Morris. It was Aebischer’s second career assist.

Konowalchuk scored at 18:23 on another power play, taking Rob Blake’s pass in the slot.

Notes: Edmonton G Tommy Salo started 15 of the previous 17 games. ... Colorado forward Milan Hejduk is the NHL’s offensive player of the week. He had three goals and five assists in four road games last week, including a penalty-shot goal in overtime against Tampa Bay. ... Colorado forward Andrei Nikolishin missed his second straight game with an abdominal muscle injury, and Peter Worrell was scratched because of a bruised knee. ... Colorado forward Travis Brigley returned after missing 18 games with a back injury. ... Aebischer also had an assist against New Jersey on March 13, 2001.

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