Point is, goalie Budaj stood firm, did his part

'Big saves' allow Colorado to keep pace despite loss

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 20, 2007 at 12:45 a.m.

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Photo by Jeff Gross / Getty Images

Avalanche forward Wojtek Wolski skates by Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer during the second period Wednesday night.

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This is one point that goalie Peter Budaj can stick in his back pocket.

If not for Budaj, the Anaheim Ducks could have run the Avalanche right out of the Honda Center.

Instead, the Stanley Cup champions needed a goal from defenseman Mathieu Schneider at 3:31 of overtime Wednesday night on a two-on-one rush to beat the Avalanche 2-1 before their 53rd consecutive sellout crowd of 17,174.

"Peter was really good," forward Andrew Brunette said. "He made big saves at important times. He probably got us that point, and over the course of the season, you need to steal points to get in (the playoffs). We would have found a way not to get a point last year. We got a big point and I think that's big for us."

The point moved the Avalanche, 3-0-1 in its past four games and 5-1-1 in seven, into a first-place tie with Minnesota and Vancouver in the Northwest Division.

Budaj, who made his fourth consecutive start, had to be on his game on a night when the Ducks enjoyed a huge territorial edge and outshot the Avalanche 17-3 after the second period and 38-12 for the game.

Yet, as well as Budaj played, he thought he had a chance to get his glove on Schneider's shot. Chris Kunitz passed across to Schneider on the right side for a shot over sliding Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan and Budaj's left shoulder after rookie Kyle Cumiskey was caught up ice.

"I was hoping for a shootout afterwards, but Schneider made a nice shot," Budaj said. "I kind of thought I had a good angle on him. I'll have to look at video. Maybe I was cheating a little bit (toward Kunitz). I thought I had a totally good angle, but it went in.

"They came out strong and played a really good offensive game. Their defense was clicking, too. Our team battled hard and it's a good point for us. We got three out of four points on this road trip, so that's pretty good."

Already short five regulars because of injuries, the Avalanche played without left wing Ryan Smyth, who awoke Wednesday morning with a stiff neck. It was a big loss because he has been one of the team's hottest players with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in a nine-game stretch.

The injuries forced coach Joel Quenneville to juggle lines and give role players such as Cody McCormick and Ben Guite considerably more ice time than usual.

Turned out, McCormick scored the Avalanche's only goal.

He connected at 8:33 of the second period from the slot, taking a pass from Ian Laperriere while Guite was tying up two Ducks defenders near the left post. It was McCormick's first goal since April 9 last season, a stretch of 23 games.

"It shows the unity of this team," Brunette said. "The kids coming up are playing real well and guys that are playing different roles are playing more and answering the bell. It's always fun to be a part of a team when everybody feels they're contributing."

But it seemed like it would only be a matter of time before the Ducks broke through, and they did at 3:45 of the third period when Anaheim captain Chris Pronger put in a rebound after Budaj made a save against Ryan Carter.

The Avalanche had to kill a delay-of-game penalty assessed to McCormick with 22.2 seconds left in regulation, one that carried into overtime.

"We worked hard," Quenneville said. "The guys battled and Peter was outstanding. It was a hard game. I think the guys left it out on the rink, which is good."

ETC.: Defenseman Jordan Leopold needed stitches to close his lacerated leg and might be able to practice with the team at the Family Sports Center today. . . . Cody McLeod, who was summoned from the minors Sunday, made his NHL debut. He skated at left wing on a line with fellow rookie T.J. Hensick and Scott Parker, who was scratched for the previous eight games since playing Dec. 1 against Los Angeles. . . . The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Parker and 6-5, 229-pound Ducks forward George Parros waged a fight of heavyweights midway through the second period. The decision went to Parker.

Ducks 2, Avalanche 1, OT

Colorado0 1 0 0 - 1

Anaheim0 0 1 1 - 2

First period - None. Penalties - Perry, Ana (tripping), 2:06; Hannan, Col, (interference), 17:50.

Second period - 1, Col, McCormick 1 (Laperriere), 8:33. Penalties - Parker, Col, major (fighting), 10:31. Parros, Ana, major (fighting), 10:31.

Third period - 2, Ana, Pronger 6 (Carter, Marchant), 3:45. Penalty - McCormick, Col, (delay of game), 19:37.

Overtime - 3, Ana, Schneider 5 (Kunitz, Pahlsson), 3:31. Penalties - None.

Shots - Col 3-6-3-0 - 12. Ana 12-9-13-4 - 38. Power plays - Col 0 of 1; Ana 0 of 2. Goalies - Col, Budaj 12-6-1 (38 shots-36 saves). Ana, Hiller 2-2-1 (12-11). A - 17,174 (17,174). T - 2:22. Referees - Don Koharski, Mike Leggo. Linesmen - Michel Cormier, Dan Schachte.

sadowskir@RockyMountainNews.com

six goals, 28 assists - for Avalanche defensemen in the past 15 games.

HANNAN SETTLING DOWN

Plus/minus numbers can be deceiving, but it was pretty surprising for Scott Hannan to post a minus-15 rating through the Avalanche's first 26 games. After all, he's in the first year of a four-year, $18 million contract.

The 28-year-old defenseman seems to be settling down.

During the past eight games, Hannan has one goal, three assists, eight shots and is a plus-3.

"I think Scotty has been pretty effective for us," coach Joel Quenneville said, adding that adjusting to a new team's system can be difficult for a defenseman.

"Forwards have a lot of freedom as far as what they have to do," he said. "For the 'D,' there are so many situational reads; it constantly changes."

CLOSE QUARTERS

This is how packed the Northwest Division and Western Conference races are: The Avalanche was in first in the division and third in the conference after its win Monday, fell to third in the Northwest and sixth in the West while idle and is second in the Northwest and tied for third in the conference after losing to Anaheim.

"We can't worry about what other teams are doing," goalie Peter Budaj said. "We just have to take care of our own games. It's probably going to be tight all the way through."

HE SAID IT

"I guarantee (the officials) look at us differently."

Chris Pronger, Ducks captain, on the discrepancy between penalties that are called for and against Anaheim.

Rick Sadowski

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