FORSBERG FRUSTRATES FLORIDA : COLORADO ROMPS FOR 2-0 FINALS LEAD COLORADO 8, FLORIDA 1.

Byline: Alan Robinson Associated Press

An Avalanche? Right now, the Stanley Cup Finals are looking more like a landslide.

Peter Forsberg had a hat trick in less than a period, and Joe Sakic, the scorer-turned-playmaker, finished with four assists as run-and-gun Colorado overwhelmed the defenseless Florida Panthers 8-1 Thursday night in Game 2.

Down 2-0 in the series and outscored 11-2, the Panthers' only hope is if this fast-building Avalanche snowball melts in the Miami sun.

``Let's not take it two games at a time,'' goaltender Patrick Roy said of a possible Colorado sweep. ``Let's take it one at a time and let's get ready for Game 3. I think it's a different Florida team we're going to see.''

The Panthers certainly weren't the same team that had allowed more than three goals only once in 19 playoff games. The loss was the worst by any team in the Stanley Cup Finals since Pittsburgh beat Minnesota 8-0 in the decisive Game 6 in 1991.

Forsberg scored on three of his first four shots against playoff hero John Vanbiesbrouck, who heard derisive chants of ``Beezer, Beezer, Beezer'' before being yanked with Colorado up 4-1 after one period.

Rene Corbet and Jon Klemm, who had only one playoff goal between them, both scored twice as the Avalanche - the Quebec Nordiques only a year ago - put the Panthers in a precarious predicament entering Game 3 Saturday in Miami.

``Our top guys were top, top guys,'' Colorado coach Marc Crawford said. ``Joe was magical with his passing, and Peter was very on.''

Of the 37 other teams to trail 2-0 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Finals, only three rallied to win: Toronto in 1942 and Montreal in 1966 and 1971.

``If we can't play better than this, we're going to be watching somebody else carry the cup around,'' the Panthers' Brian Skrudland said. ``What really hurts is we keep saying, `It's going to happen, it's going to happen.' But, jeepers creepers, 8-1?''

By the end, the fans were chanting ``Stanley Cup, Stanley Cup, Stanley Cup'' as Colorado attempts to join the 1937 Washington Redskins as the only major sports team to win a title in its first season following relocation.

``I don't think this was our best game,'' Colorado center Mike Ricci said. ``We're happy with this . . . but it's only one game.''

The Avalanche went 3 for 3 on the power play in the first period after going 0 for 8 in Game 1, and its four goals in the period were more than Pittsburgh scored in any single game against Florida in the Eastern Conference finals. Colorado has outscored Florida 10-2 in the first period in their four games this season.

The Panthers' tight-checking, keep-it-close style is designed to frustrate an opponent's big scorers, as Florida did by holding Sakic and Forsberg without a goal as Colorado won 3-1 in Game 1. It is not a style equipped to win shootouts.

And this shootout quickly became a blowout, as the foot-stomping Avalanche fans waved snowflake-like white pompons that perfectly complemented the blizzard of scoring.

SCHEDULE Avalanche leads series, 2-0 Game 1: Colorado 3, Florida 1

Game 2: Colorado 8, Florida 1

Game 3: Saturday at Florida, 5 p.m., Fox

Game 4: Monday at Florida, 5 p.m., ESPN

Game 5x: Thursday at Colorado, ESPN

Game 6x: June 15 at Florida, 5 p.m., ESPN

Game 7x: June 17 at Colorado, 5 p.m., ESPN

x-if necessary

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1--color) The sign behind John Vanbiesbrouck certainly applied, as the goalie allowed four first-period goals.

(2) Colorado's Peter Forsberg (21) of the Avalanche celebrates his third goal of the first period, while Panthers goalie John Vanbiesbrouck can only watch.

Associated Press

Box: Schedule (see text)