Roman Cechmanek kicked aside 51 Avalanche shots Wednesday night as the visiting Los Angeles Kings defeated Colorado 3-2 in the 2004-05 Video Hockey League season opener on a 60-inch television screen in Thornton.
Thanks to the simulated stick of L.A.’s Anson Carter, and the nimble fingers of 12-year-old Kyle Schreiner who controlled it, the Kings broke a 2-2, third-period tie to overcome Avalanche goals by and .
“My goalie came up big,” Kyle said. “Cechmanek was awesome.”
Schreiner battled against Kellen Fredrickson, 10, on an X-Box using the ESPN NHL 2K5 game.
“My goalie didn’t come to play,” Kellen said.
Avalanche goalie stopped 30-of-33 shots but was beaten through the cyber five-hole from Carter’s slap shot.
Josef Stumpel and Zigmund Palffy also scored for the Kings.
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The Avs had numerous breakaways on Cechmanek and had all five players joining the rush for virtually the whole third period. But Cechmanek refused to lose even though he was hung out to dry by a slacking Kings defense.
“He gets the first star,” Kyle said.
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The Avalanche’s season was scheduled to begin with a game against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night at the Pepsi Center, but the NHL lockout left arenas across the league dark.
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In an attempt to lighten the mood created by this labor dispute, The Denver Post will provide a hockey fix with the help of some of the metro area’s video hockey-playing youth.
Two players from the ages of 8 to 14 will play a video version of each scheduled Avs game until the NHL resumes play. The Post will provide a short report on the outcome of each Video Hockey League game.
