Bryzgalov stops 14 shots, earns shutout as Ducks blank Blackhawks 3-0

01:20:03 EDT Oct 29, 2006

CHICAGO (AP) - Ilya Bryzgalov was just about perfect Saturday night.

The Anaheim goalie stopped 14 shots to earn his first shutout this season, and Dustin Penner snapped a scoreless tie midway through in the second period to help the Ducks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0.

Andy McDonald and Rob Niedermayer also scored as Anaheim handed injury-depleted Chicago its fourth consecutive defeat and second straight shutout.

The Ducks (8-0-3) and Buffalo (10-0-1) are the only NHL teams without a regulation loss this season.

Bryzgalov, making only his third start of the season, posted his second career regular-season shutout. He had three in 11 playoff games last spring.

"We dominated the whole game and tonight I didn't have many shots," Bryzgalov said. "Sometimes it's tough to keep focused.

"It's (the shutout) nothing special. We just wanted to win the game. We just want to keep on a roll and move up in the standings."

One shot got by Bryzgalov, but according to a video review, didn't completely cross the goal line. With the game still scoreless, Chicago's Brent Seabrook banged a rebound past the Ducks goalie at 1:17 of the second period, but Bryzgalov swept it out with his glove.

"It was never a goal," Bryzgalov said. "It never crossed the line."

That was one of Chicago's few quality chances.

"From our vantage point it was in" Chicago coach Trent Yawney said. "The disallowed goal was more hurtful. Coming off a game when you haven't scored a goal and one is disallowed, that's tough sledding."

Despite his strong play in the post-season, Bryzgalov has seen limited work this season behind Jean-Sebastien Giguere. In his previous start, Oct. 15 versus Dallas, Bryzgalov was pulled by Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle after allowing two goals on 14 shots.

"The bottom line is we feel we have two quality goaltenders,' Carlyle said. "We describe them as 1A and 1B.

"We feel that's going to be the strength of our group - to be able to able grab a guy and have him throw a shutout or play an outstanding game. So far this year, Giguere has had the net and had some success."

The Blackhawks played without four of their top players. Forwards Martin Havlat, Michal Handzus and Tuomo Ruutu, and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin are all out with injuries.

"When you take the top four players out of anybody's lineup, it's going to make a difference," Carlyle said. "I thought they competed extremely hard. It wasn't a classic hockey game, but when you play 82 games, not every one is perfect."

Chicago's Brian Boucher started for the second straight game in place of Khabibulin and made 19 saves. The Blackhawks have gone seven straight periods - and a total of 145 minutes and 10 seconds - without scoring.

"I wasn't really extremely disappointed," Yawney said. "I saw some positives, but our consistency throughout the game has to get better."

Anaheim had the best chance in the scoreless first period with just 15 seconds remaining. Todd Marchant was unable to get his stick on a loose puck at the edge of the crease with Boucher down and out of position.

The Blackhawks also wasted a one-minute, 50-second 5-on-3 power play early in the second period, managing only one shot on goal during the span.

The Ducks failed to score during their own 5-on-3 advantage that lasted 1:42 midway through the second.

However, Penner's even-strength goal, with 8:25 left in the period, gave Anaheim a 1-0 lead. From just in front of the crease, he swatted in a rebound of Scott Niedermayer's shot from the right point.

McDonald's power-play goal at 2:18 of the third made it 2-0 as he one-timed Corey Perry's cross-ice pass in off Boucher's pads.

Rob Niedermayer banged in a rebound of Samuel Pahlsson's shot just over two minutes later.

Notes: Ruutu, who sprained his knee in the pre-season, could return this week. ... LW Karl Stewart, claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh on Thursday, made his debut with Chicago. ... Three Ducks players - LW-C Travis Green, RW Stanislav Chistov and D Ian Moran - were healthy scratches for the 11th straight game. ... Anaheim LW Todd Fedoruk missed the game with a facial injury, suffered Friday night when he was punched in Minnesota. RW Shawn Thornton was recalled from Portland of the AHL to fill his spot and played Saturday.



© The Canadian Press, 2006

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