(My Sportsbook) - While the Canucks didn't enjoy very much success on a recent five-game road trip, they at least capped the trek with a convincing win over the Northwest Division-leading Avalanche.

Vancouver now begins a five-game homestand versus Colorado tonight at GM Place in what is already the fourth meeting between the division rivals this season.

The Avalanche took the first matchup between the clubs back on October 3, but the Canucks have answered with a home victory of their own before an 8-2 triumph in Colorado last Saturday. The victory allowed Vancouver to end its swing with a 2-3-0 record.

Henrik Sedin had his first-career hat trick in Saturday's win, while Mason Raymond had three assists to give him five points (1 goal, 4 assists) versus Colorado this season.

"It's always nice to get it. It's a little late after playing so many games," said Sedin, who played in his 667th game, of his hat trick.

Steve Bernier added two goals and Roberto Luongo made 32 saves to help Vancouver halt a three-game skid and beat Colorado for the fifth time in the last seven meetings. Luongo improved to 1-1-0 with a 2.25 goals-against average versus Colorado this year and 8-15-3 with a 2.93 GAA versus them lifetime.

Vancouver is 7-2-0 at home this year.

Colorado goaltender Craig Anderson didn't finish last Saturday's loss, allowing four goals on 22 shots before being replaced by Peter Budaj, who gave up another four goals on eight shots.

That loss to Vancouver was Colorado's third in a row overall, but while the Canucks haven't played since the Avalanche have skated in a pair of road games. The Avs halted their skid with a 3-2 win at Calgary on Tuesday before falling 6-4 in Edmonton the following night.

The Avs carried a 4-3 lead into the third period of Wednesday's game, getting a pair of goals from Milan Hejduk and one each by David Jones and Kyle Cumiskey. However, the Oilers notched three goals in the third period to rally for the victory.

"Any good team when you have a lead 4-3 going into the third period on the road on back-to-back nights you've got to find a way in those games," said Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco. "Those are the games you got to put away, and we didn't do that. We need to shoot the puck more, we need to generate more offense."

Budaj took the loss by allowing five goals on 32 shots. Anderson will likely return to net tonight to face a Canucks club he has struggled against. Anderson is 1-2-0 with a 2.63 GAA versus them this year and just 1-6-1 with a 3.23 GAA lifetime against Vancouver.

Colorado, which leads Calgary by three points for first place in the division, wraps a three-game swing tonight and is 7-4-3 as the guest this year.