ESPN NHL

DENVER (AP) -- Tomas Vokoun got all the help he needed from Nashville's special teams.

Vokoun made 34 saves, Kimmo Timonen and Marek Zidlicky scored power-play goals and Rem Murray had a short-handed goal in the Predators' 3-2 victory over Colorado on Monday night.

"Tomas was lights out. He was really good. He saw the puck and was moving really well," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "Teemu Selanne had the one breakaway and from the bench it didn't look like he had a chance to score."

Vokoun is 5-1-0 in his last six starts.

"The goaltender is the difference and makes up for so much of everything," Vokoun said. "If you don't have quality play from the goaltender it's hard to win no matter what team you have."

Milan Hejduk and Joe Sakic had third-period goals for Colorado, with Hejduk's goal ending the Avalanche's scoreless streak at 124 minutes, 31 seconds. Colorado was 0-for-5 on the power play and has failed to score in its last 13 chances.

"It was definitely specialty teams, that is what it was," Colorado coach Tony Granato said. "With the parity the way it is in the league, if a team comes in and gets three goals in specialty situations you are going to have a tough time, and that was certainly the case tonight."

Timonen opened the scoring 42 seconds into the game -- and 21 seconds into a power play -- with a low blast that went between Philippe Sauve's pads.

"I think there was a screen," said Timonen, who has seven points in his last six game. "Scott Hartnell did a great job in front of the net when the goalie can't see the puck it's very easy for us to shoot the puck."

Vokoun kept Colorado scoreless with saves on Sakic from the slot. He caught a break when Alex Tanguay's shot dribbled between Vokoun's pads, but hit the left post at 8:10 of the period.

Zidlicky extended Nashville's lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 5:09 of the second period. Sauve stopped shots by Timonen and David Legwand, but Zidlicky scored off a rebound.

Hejduk lifted the puck over Vokoun's right shoulder to cut the lead to 2-1 early in the final period. The goal was Colorado's first since Cody McCormick scored against the Rangers on Nov. 20.

"That team didn't beat us, we beat ourselves." Selanne said. "There are no bad teams in the league, but we just woke up too late."< ^Notes@: Nashville is 7-0-0-0 when leading after two periods. ... Legwand played in his 300th NHL game. ... Vokoun has appeared in all but two of the Predators' 20 games. ... Colorado center Andrei Nikolishin is expected to miss three weeks with a sprained knee.