DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche are off to a soaring start, even if they pretend theyre nothing more than an average team. Little mind games in order to keep winning them. "Were playing like were a .500 hockey team and not a 14-2 team. Thats the key," Matt Duchene said. "You stay grounded and you stay humble and hungry." Semyon Varlamov stopped 33 shots and Nick Holden scored his first NHL goal to break a second-period tie, lifting the Avalanche to a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday night. Patrick Bordeleau, P.A. Parenteau and Gabriel Landeskog also added goals for the Avalanche, who are off to a franchise-best 14-2 start under new coach Patrick Roy. Before this season, the best mark through 16 games was 13-3 by the 1994-95 Quebec Nordiques, a season before the organization relocated to Denver. "Theyre one of the upper echelon teams, in regard to skating," Capitals forward Brooks Laich said. "They have a quick group." Not too bad in goaltending, either. Varlamov once again came up big against his former team, especially on a 5-on-3 early in the final period to preserve the lead. Varlamov also made 40 saves in a 5-1 win at Washington on Oct. 12. Asked why Varlamov seemed to play so well against Washington, coach Adam Oates said: "Hes been in a zone against everybody so far." The turning point of the game was early in the third period when Cory Sarich was called for hooking to give Washington, the top power play team in the league, a man advantage. And then the Avalanche were whistled for too many men on the ice, setting up a 5-on-3 situation for 56 seconds. But Varlamov turned back shot after shot, the crowd serenading him with "Varly, Varly" over and over. "The guys did an unbelievable job for me," Varlamov said. "This team, theyre unbelievable right now, on the (penalty kill) especially. I appreciate what theyre doing for me. We start this game very well, the guys give me confidence and scored a couple of good goals." Joel Ward had the lone goal for the Capitals as they lost for a second straight night. Alex Ovechkin thought he had a goal late in the third, but it was disallowed when replay showed he kicked it in with his left skate. "We played a decent hockey game," Oates said. "We let it get away at the end, but it was a decent game." Ward tied the game at 1 in the second period when a puck caromed off the boards on a faceoff and right to his stick. With no defenders near him, Ward faked Varlamov one way and then shot it in for his eighth goal of the season. Just 28 seconds later, Holden gave the Avalanche back the lead when the defenceman took a pass from Landeskog and lined a shot past a screened Braden Holtby. The Capitals received a scare late in the second when Ovechkin slipped while chasing a puck and crashed into the boards, with Jan Hejda falling on top of him. Ovechkin stayed down on the ice for several minutes, before skating to the bench and dabbing at his head with a towel. He also began yelling at the officials. "It was a trip. Hit my head in the board," Ovechkin said. "It was a clear two minutes (penalty) and a dangerous play." Hejda didnt quite see it that way. "He fell and then I fell over him," Hejda said. "This is an elite (player). I was going to step (on) the brakes." Colorado got on the board early in the opening period when Cody McLeod lined a backhand shot toward the goal that Bordeleau redirected past Holtby. The officials reviewed the play to see if Bordeleaus stick was below the level of the crossbar and then announced to the crowd the call on the ice stood. The Capitals struggled to generate much offence in the first period and didnt take their first shot until halfway through, when Ovechkin laced a slap shot that Varlamov turned aside. Roy has a good thing going in goal these days, with Varlamov and backup Jean-Sebastien Giguere both playing well. The duo entered the game with a league-best 1.79 goals-against average. "We trust our two goalies," Roy said. "We have a lot of confidence." NOTES: Unhappy with an offside call, the Capitals argued with officials and were assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which was served by F Jason Chimera. ... The Avalanche were without F Alex Tanguay (knee) and D Ryan Wilson (back). ... Colorado is 8-1 against the Eastern Conference this season. Josh Allen Jersey . has left the San Jose Sharks to become the Boston Bruins director of player personnel. Vladimir Ducasse Jersey . Bowditch, the 30-year-old Australian seeking his first PGA Tour title, shot a 4-under 68 to reach 12 under at TPC San Antonio. Matt Kuchar and Andrew Loupe were tied for second. Kuchar shot 65, and Loupe had a 70. spokeswoman Heather Lissner said that all departing flights were back on schedule. However, arriving flights were still trying to catch up.Super Bowl Sunday got off to an inconvenient start for hundreds of passengers trying to get to Phoenix for the game. Jordan Mills Jersey . In the Brewers six games this season, no starter has allowed more than three runs. "We see the guy in front of us do a great job and we want to do even better," Gallardo said after the Brewers beat the Red Sox 4-0 on Sunday, his second straight scoreless start. Nick OLeary Jersey . LOUIS -- Julius Randle had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Aaron Harrison finished with 18 points and No.Brooklyn, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Deron Williams had 17 points and nine assists as the Brooklyn Nets routed the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-85 on Monday night. Brook Lopez posted 18 points and six rebounds in his first game since last December due to a foot injury and Alan Anderson netted 18 points off the bench for the Nets, who have won two straight since a season-opening loss at Boston. We want to protect home court and we did a good job tonight, Williams said. Reggie Jackson, who didnt play in his first three games due to a wrist injury, tallied 23 points and five assists, but turned the ball over seven times for Oklahoma City, which is off to a 1-3 start without reigning MVP Kevin Durant. All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook has missed the last two games with a broken right hand. We did a lot of good things in the first three games, and we didnt do them tonight, Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said. Perry Jones, who is shooting 25-of-47 from the floor since going 1-of-9 in the season opener at Portland Wednesday, finished with 16 points.dddddddddddd Steven Adams hook shot gave the Thunder a quick 6-5 edge, but the Nets responded with 21-4 run and never looked back. Joe Johnson poured in eight points during the surge, including a pair of 3- pointers, and Jarrett Jacks pull-up jumper staked Brooklyn to a 26-10 advantage. The Nets led 32-19 after one and knocked down seven of their first 10 triples en route to a 42-21 cushion. Mason Plumlee threw down an alley-oop pass from Bojan Bogdanovic right before the first-half buzzer to make it 59-40 heading into the break. Brooklyn took an 85-62 margin into the fourth and led by as many as 35 in the final frame en route to the easy triumph. Game Notes Brooklyn netted 21 points off 18 Oklahoma City turnovers and committed just eight giveaways ... The Nets shot 52.4 percent (44-of-84) from the floor and 47.8 percent (11-of-23) from beyond the arc. Authentic Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Tennessee Titans Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Washington Redskins Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Denver Broncos Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Green Bay Packers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Carolina Panthers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Cleveland Browns Jerseys Cheap Cheap Throwback Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Atlanta Braves Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Baltimore Orioles Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Boston Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago Cubs Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago White Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cincinnati Reds Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cleveland Indians Jerseys ' ' '