Anaheim, Calif. – Wanting to buy a vowel, Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville gulped, stumbled and kidded about his inability to pronounce the name of the big Russian goalie in the Anaheim net.
That was four days and two Colorado shutout losses ago.
How to explain what has gone so wrong so fast for the Avalanche?
“You’re not going to win any games if you don’t score,” said Colorado captain Joe Sakic.
Tough to argue with his logic.
After Anaheim rookie Ilya Bryzgalov blanked the Avs 3-0 on a gloomy Sunday afternoon, Quenneville, careful not to name names, grumped, “It’s easy for him to look big in the net.”
You cannot blame Coach Q for his difficulty talking about the biggest reason Colorado has yet to score a goal in its playoff series against the all too mighty Ducks.
In this part of Southern California, most folks are on a first-name basis with Mickey and Goofy, but when it comes to identifying ducks, the local population could not tell Bryzgalov from Donald until the NHL postseason began.
Yet, late in the third period, as Anaheim was cruising to victory in Game 2, the crowd chanted in unison: Bryz-gal-ov! Bryz-gal-ov! Bryz-gal-ov!
Only in America.
From anonymous to an arena full of people worshipping you like a rock star within a span of slightly less than 230 minutes, which is how much game time has passed since a shot last eluded Bryzgalov in the playoffs.
This remarkable shutout streak, which dates to Anaheim’s first-round upset of Calgary, is the longest in the postseason since 1937.
“No big deal,” Bryzgalov claimed.
Not to suggest this 6-foot-3 goalie has gotten in the heads of the Avalanche, but late in the game, after taking a pass through the crease from Colorado teammate Patrice Brisebois, a wide-open net beckoned for Alex Tanguay.
And Tanguay chunked the shot worse than any duffer with an 8-iron at your favorite municipal golf track.
“It caught the tip of my stick and his head was turned the other way,” explained Tanguay, who insisted Bryzgalov reacted blindly to a shot the goalie never saw coming.
“And the puck hit right in the top of his glove.”
Now that’s the definition of a hot goalie.
Between the pipes, Bryzgalov is one big bird. In the eyes of the Avs, he must loom larger than Foghorn Leghorn.
After firing at him 51 times in two games, Colorado has not been able to miss Bryzgalov even once. This is the most foul shooting since Vice President Dick Cheney last picked up a shotgun and went on a fowl hunt.
Anaheim is getting to the puck quicker in open ice and hitting harder in the corners.
That’s a bad combination, especially when Bryzgalov sat and watched J.S. Giguere stop pucks during 60 regular-season games for Anaheim, but now this overnight sensation is markedly outplaying Jose Theodore, an expensive goalie the Avs acquired to give them an advantage in the playoffs.
What advice is Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle giving his new goalie?
It’s pretty simple.
“Continue to play. Come to practice. Stop the puck. Smile. Have a good day,” Carlyle deadpanned.
The Avs are definitely not smiling. But they have not given up hope.
Tanguay said: “I don’t think we’re out of this series by any means.”
The Avalanche, however, needs more than a prayer that home cooking can change the flavor of this best-of-seven series.
It is apparent Colorado cannot skate with Anaheim. So the Avalanche is going to have to go hunting for Ducks. Put a hurting on them. Fire scattershots at Bryzgalov. Win ugly.
“The next game is life or death. That’s how we’ve got to approach it,” Avs veteran Steve Konowalchuk said. “That first win is going to be the toughest because (the Ducks) are on a roll right now.”
All year, the Avalanche has been praised for grit and resiliency.
Which is true. Colorado is gritty. Feisty. Determined.
But that’s also a nice way of saying the Avalanche team of unbeatable talent that included Patrick Roy and Peter Forsberg does not wear Colorado uniforms anymore.
Listen to Mark Kiszla at 12:15 p.m. today on 1060 AM and the Radio Colorado Network. He can be reached at 303-820-5438 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.
