Bryzgalov And The Coyotes Shutout His Former Team

Added on Dec 06, 2010 by J Merrill in

NHL

Ilya Bryzgalov is one of those guys who has a fire in his step when he plays his former team. He shut out his former team for the third time since leaving Anaheim, Taylor Pyatt scored on a deflection and Shane Doan connected during a power play to lead the Coyotes to a 3-0 victory over the Ducks on Sunday night.

Bryzgalov made 39 saves, and now has his second of the season, and 18th of his NHL career. He was waived by the Ducks during the 2007-08 season and claimed by Phoenix. “I always felt that I was capable of being a No. 1 goalie, and here I got an opportunity to prove myself,” said Bryzgalov, who won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007. “That team will always been with me in my heart because I spent seven years in that organization, and you can’t throw that away. But right now, my home is with the Phoenix Coyotes.”

Lee Stempniak, who was playing in 400^th career game, also scored an empty-netter in the shut out. It was the Coyotes’ first win this season over Anaheim after 3-2 and 6-4 losses. Shane Doan said of those losses, “We didn’t think we played too bad in those games, but they found ways to win them. We didn’t want to let up or take our foot off the gas, because we’d seen what they’d done to us before and we had to be mentally ready for the whole game.”

This was a back to back shut out for the Ducks. The Redwings beat them 4-0 on Friday, and it was the first time they had back to back shut outs since March of 2008. It was the first time they were blanked in back-to-back home games since October 2003. Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said after the game, “We were very flat. We didn’t have the emotional level we needed, and that led to frustration. It seemed that everywhere we turned there was a white sweater there. They’ve got a solid lineup and they’ve got that workmanlike attitude. We feel like we can compete with them, but we can’t compete playing at the level we played. We have to look at ourselves in the mirror. They’re hockey players that are paid to work and do their job, and we have to find a different way to stimulate them, whether it’s a kick in the pants, a pat on the back or a day off.”

Earlier this month, they had 90 shots in a two-game stretch, but lost 4-3 to Columbus and 4-2 to Edmonton. The past two games they managed to put 80 on goal, and still lost. “I think we’re just swinging away,” Carlyle said. “In the last two games, the other goaltender had an easier night than he should have, considering the number of shots we directed toward the net.”

The 13-13-3, 4th in Pacific Division Anaheim Ducks face the Edmonton Oilers (10-12-4, 24pts) on Tuesday, and the 13-7-6, 2nd in Pacific Division Phoenix Coyotes face the Minnesota Wild (11-11-4, 26pts.)