"The puck was on the stick, the goalie was somewhere in east Missouri after the fake and all Milan Hejduk had left to do was stuff the puck into the net and it would be a tie game and at least a point in the standings for the Avalanche.

Then, the puck rolled off the stick and onto that of a St. Louis Blue, who slid it out of harm's way to leave Hejduk and the Avs with nothing.

"That's the kind of year it's been in the second half," said Hejduk, after his potentially tying goal was foiled in the Avs' loss Tuesday at St. Louis. "First half of the year or most any other time, I probably put that in. It's been frustrating, that's for sure."

The Avs enter tonight's game against Dallas virtually assured of finishing 29th in the 30-team NHL, meaning they'll pick no lower than third in June's league draft in St. Paul, Minn. The order of the draft will be determined Tuesday.

If there's any consolation to the team having a guaranteed top-three pick and a chance at No. 1, it has been lost in the Avs' dressing room.

"We want to win hockey games," Hejduk said. "That's why we play. But obviously, we haven't won too many lately.""