KRIEGER: Theodore was astonishing, mythical

By Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 18, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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It's a thin line between veteran and just plain old. For much of Thursday night, the Avalanche looked like it had crossed it.

The Wild dominated the puck, the zone time, the shots on goal. If effort and zeal had anything to say about it, the Wild deserved to take the pivotal fifth game of the series.

And yet.

One hockey player can matter more than all the others. One player, on his game, can turn an ocean back and send the tide the other way.

On a night when it was beaten at every other position, the Avalanche needed a game like that from goaltender Jose Theodore.

In a rebuttal to every bitter evaluation of the past 21/2 years, Theodore played like the Most Valuable Player he was six years ago, as a 25-year-old sensation in Montreal. He stole Game 5 and gave his team two chances to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"That was his win," said defenseman Adam Foote. "You can't go far in the playoffs without a goalie stealing at least one of them in a series, and he did that tonight for us."

For members of the Avs who never played with Patrick Roy, Theodore's performance crossed the bridge from inspiring to astonishing. Ian Laperriere didn't have to think long when he was asked when he last played in front of a performance like Theodore's.

"Never," he said. "I've never been on a team where a goalie played unbelievable like that. A couple guys on the team when they played with Patrick, I'm sure they've seen a couple great performances like that, but for me it's my first, and hopefully it won't be my last."

If you are expecting any Roy-like bravado from Theodore, you will be waiting a while.

"We knew they were going to come out strong," he said. "They're a great team - a lot of skill, lot of character, and they showed it tonight. They played a solid 60-minute game, but on the other hand, we didn't panic. For us, a really big third period was key."

But being peppered with shots like that - what was that like?

"Every time I go in the game it's just stay focused and try to make every save, just try to freeze the puck and keep it simple. I mean, I've been there before, so it's just about keep it simple."

No, but really, can you recall another playoff game like this one?

"I think every playoff game is exciting. I can't really compare. It's always a different game and a different scenario, but I think tonight is a big win, a big team win."

But, but, did you feel any different out there in this one?

"I prepare myself the same way for every game, and I can't really say that tonight was any different than the other games."

As a person, Theodore could not be more different from Roy, as even-keeled and low-key as Roy is high-strung and combustible.

It was left to his backup, Peter Budaj, to acknowledge what Theodore accomplished here.

"It was one of the best performances I've ever seen," Budaj said. "He definitely gave us a chance to win, because for the first two periods, I think Minnesota played tremendous hockey. They played really strong. They did everything they could and they got lots of chances and Jose stood on his head."

Budaj has been where Theodore was in the first two periods, like a target in an archery contest.

"There's two possibilities," he said with a smile. "You're going to get really hot or you're going to get lit up."

There were too many remarkable saves to catalog here, including a point-blank shot from Wild star Marian Gaborik in the second period, leaving Gaborik without a point through five games.

By my count, the Wild put 11 shots on net in three power plays. Theodore stopped all but one. The Avs put three on net in three power plays. Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom stopped one.

After looking like a senior pickup team for two periods, Avs captain Joe Sakic made a little speech during the second intermission.

" 'Sak' said a few words," Foote recounted. "He said, 'You know, we haven't been there, but let's turn this around and see what we can do.' We were fortunate to be tied after two periods, and we came out a lot harder."

After two periods of target practice, Colorado finally gave its goalie a little help.

"When I saw the guys coming for the third, I saw right away that we had an extra jump," Theodore said. "To score that second goal was huge, but the third one was probably the biggest goal because it kind of gave us a little room to breathe."

The Wild's 40 shots on net tied its playoff record. The Avs had only 17. Didn't matter.

Somewhere, Pierre Lacroix was smiling. His much-maligned second trade for a famous Montreal goalie is looking better all the time.

kriegerd@RockyMountainNews.com

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