Their shots were feeble. Their outlet passes were weak. Their odd-man rushes were simply odd.
Their breakaways were bungled.
The Avalanche early on would have heartily accepted a fluke goal, any gift any way against ghastly St. Louis, the Blues bunch that has not won a game in regulation in more than a month. The losers now of 13 straight.
Here the Blues were on Saturday afternoon at the Pepsi Center with a 1-0 lead through most of two periods. They looked like a team transformed with its rookie goalie, Jason Bacashihua. The Blues looked as if they had cloned their former stellar defenseman Al MacInnis – his No. 2 jersey will be retired by the team in its home game against Edmonton today. The Blues looked like a team of MacInnises swarming the ice. The Avalanche found few openings. The net hole seemed as minute as a keyhole.
When the “O” becomes so slowed in hockey, a team had better have a goalie who can keep it close, keep it sane, keep things in check until relief arrives.
And that is what Peter Budaj did. The Avalanche found its stride and won 4-2.
Actually, that appears to have been Budaj’s role all season, to keep things handy, under control, until the Avalanche finds its permanent goalie. That is supposed to be Jose Theodore. Acquired March 8, Theodore is still strengthening his fractured heel. He was supposed to make his debut today against Minnesota. He will not. He is not quite ready.
The rookie goalie lives another day.
Peter Budaj gets another whirl.
With all of the changes the Avalanche has endured this season – no Peter Forsberg, new offensive-minded rules, regrouping after a lockout season – its approach at goalie has been numbing. David Aebischer opened as the starter. He was always looking over his shoulder. For good reason. He would be traded for Theodore. Budaj stepped in, but not quite all the way in. All along, it was clear he was simply holding things down for a moment. He would constantly look over his shoulder, too.
But he can look now and see that he has started 13 consecutive games. No goalie has done that for the Avs since Patrick Roy started 16 straight in 1999.
The Avalanche hopes to make the playoffs and see if Theodore and his past lore can bring new fruits. The team hopes it can turn it over to this veteran star and make a deep playoff run.
It is risky business, indeed, because the man has not played in nearly three months. Who knows what the Avalanche will get?
The Avalanche might just get Budaj all over.
And that might not be so bad.
“We played determined today and when we got it to 1-1, it was like starting over 0-0 for the final period,” Budaj said. “With things the way they are in the playoff race, this was big.
“I came to camp trying to make the team as a backup to David. When they traded him, I was surprised. I have the chance to show what I can do. Nobody ever told me I was going to start the majority of games. I just tried to stay on edge and create chances. I don’t look at it as pressure. I look at it more like I have a responsibility. This team is putting me in net to help win games, that simple.”
And what is the difference between him and Theodore?
“Wow!” Budaj said, grinning. “A couple of big trophies and big awards he’s won. I always liked watching him as a kid. He’s really good. He has looked good in practices here.”
Not enough, though, to bump Budaj. Not just yet.
“This is a young kid and we have put a lot of pressure on him,” right wing Ian Laperriere said. “When he got to play in the Olympics, his confidence came up. He is 23, not 32. He understands that he has a guy behind him that as soon as he is ready is going to play. Peter can handle that. He knows he can use this time to remind everyone what he can do. And get great experience.”
Laperriere said he was ecstatic that the Avalanche, during its early scoring failures, was able to stay patient and break through “without cheating.” Without leaning toward the offensive end and leaving its defense and Budaj more vulnerable.
The kid has been vulnerable all season, thrust into a starting role without much assurance. Aware of what happened to Aebischer and fully aware that he will likely be benched next.
I have a feeling this particular Avalanche script, already fully twisted at goalie, is far from finished.
Budaj just might find himself with a few more big days ahead. A few more whirls.
“I’m ready,” he said.
He should be. His challenge – will he continue starting, abruptly sit or have his number called later – requires confidence. And gumption.
He’s got it.
Thomas George can be reached at 303-820-1994 or tgeorge@denverpost.com.
