ESPN NHL

DALLAS (AP) -- The Colorado Avalanche keep making the most of their power-play opportunities, and the points keep coming.

Dallas just continues to struggle on special teams.

Alex Tanguay scored two of Colorado's three power-play goals in the second period of a 4-2 win Saturday after the Stars missed scoring on three power plays in the first period.

"The key was killing the first-period penalties," Tanguay said. "When the referee gives one team penalties, they're going to be looking to even it up the next period, and that's what happened."

Unlike the Stars, Colorado made the most of its chances in the second period. The Avalanche converted three of five power plays while playing with a man advantage for nearly eight minutes.

Colorado has scored 10 power-play goals in 25 chances the past five games with four wins and an overtime loss. The Avalanche have added points in the standings in 17 of 20 games.

Milan Hejduk and Adam Foote each added a goal and an assist for Colorado, which reached the halfway point of its season with 53 points. Only two Western Conference teams -- Detroit and Vancouver -- have more points.

"With parity in our league and our conference, it's important to stay consistent," Colorado coach Tony Granato said. "At this point, we've got to be pretty happy with where we are."

Dallas, which had a conference-best 111 points last regular season, lost for only the second time in 11 games (5-2-4-0). But the Stars have 18 losses, one more than last season, with 44 points through 44 games.

"We feel we have the capabilities to work our way up if we can put together a string," Stars right wing Bill Guerin said. "We can't really let this affect us. There is too much hockey left."

Colorado wing Teemu Selanne injured his neck early in the second period after a hard hit by Darren Oliver against the boards.

Avalanche coach Tony Granato said that Selanne got hit in the head, and was held out of the rest of game as a precaution. Selanne is considered day to day.

After their three first-period misses Saturday, the Stars were 0-for-18 on the power play in five January games. Scott Young broke the streak with 14:48 left, but Colorado led 4-1 by then.

Tanguay scored from the lower left circle, taking a pass from Peter Forsberg behind the net, for a 2-0 lead with 9:23 left in the second period. About five minutes later, Tanguay scored off a rebound of Derek Morris' missed shot for his 12th goal.

Colorado's lead was 4-0 when Morris took another shot that bounded off Marty Turco's pad and to Foote, who scored his sixth goal with 20 seconds left in the period.

"The game was taken out of our hands," Young said. "They've got too much talent on that team to give them any penalties."

Turco, one of three Stars named this week as All-Star starters, had allowed two goals or less in 19 of his previous 22 starts. He stopped 15 shots against Colorado, and didn't face a shot in the third.

Avalanche goalie David Aebischer had 24 saves.

Hejduk's first-period goal, his 20th, whizzed past Turco's stick and struck the outside post, ricocheting into the net for a 1-0 lead with 7:05 left.

Jason Arnott also scored in the third for Dallas, which then pulled Turco from the net after going on a power play with 2:26 left.

Dallas had a second-period goal disallowed when Guerin, another All-Star, was called for goalie interference.

Mike Modano, the Stars' captain and other All-Star, missed his fourth straight game with a groin injury.

Game notes

Stars D Jon Klemm was scratched because of a slight groin injury, missing the game against this former team. ... Before winning both regular games this season against Dallas, the Avalanche were winless in their previous seven in the series (0-4-3). ... Young has three goals in three games after just two the previous 36 games. ... Dallas plays its next five games on the road.